Lavrov rejects pause in Ukraine war, dismisses energy moratorium

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov told the UN Security Council that Russia will not pause its military operation in Ukraine, explicitly rejecting the energy-strike moratorium floated by Kyiv and Washington. This hardens Moscow's public stance against any temporary halt, which Lavrov frames as a ploy for Europe to rearm Ukraine. The statement signals continued escalation risk and undermines near-term de-escalation prospects.