Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said European countries had detained 12 ships since the beginning of 2026. Speaking at a roundtable of ambassadors on a solution to the conflict in Ukraine, Lavrov argued that interference with freedom of maritime navigation was increasing and that ships were being stopped on grounds with no basis in international law.
Lavrov said European states had detained some ships by classifying them as part of a “shadow fleet.” He said some vessels had been stopped on suspicion that they had no nationality or were sailing under false flags, arguing that these practices had no legal basis.
The Russian minister claimed that European countries did not subject ships serving their own interests and carrying oil to the same checks. Lavrov said that after ships operating in line with the interests of Russia and its partners were detained, pressure was put on their flag states. He said this pressure included threats to cut aid to the relevant countries in order to force them to withdraw the flag authorizations granted to the ships.
Ukraine talks
Lavrov said Russia was open to different negotiating formats aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine and welcomed the United States’ interest in contributing to the process. He said Russia had not rejected the options of bilateral and trilateral talks.
Referring to Washington’s assessment that trilateral talks could be more productive, Lavrov said this format was seen as more effective than mediation between the parties. He argued that this format had previously stalled for a reason unrelated to an initiative by Russia.
Lavrov said the other side also needed to demonstrate its readiness for talks to resume. He argued that a year without war could be achieved if the United States did not distance itself from the understandings reached at the Anchorage Summit between Russia and the United States, and if Europe did not push Washington away from those agreements.
Lavrov also rejected the claim that Washington had proposed linking a solution to the Ukraine issue to steps Russia would take on Iran. He said American counterparts had never proposed such an exchange.
Iran and Palestine
Lavrov argued that no progress had been made in implementing Donald Trump’s plan on the Palestinian issue. He claimed that U.S. special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were dealing with Palestine, Ukraine and Iran, but that no results had been achieved in any of these areas.
Lavrov also addressed developments involving Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz, saying that previously reached understandings had not been advanced. He said the Islamabad Accord had created a basis for new steps, but that the process had not moved forward because the conflicts involving Lebanon had not ended.
Lavrov said that although the Palestine plan had been approved, it had not been implemented, adding that 72 percent of the Gaza Strip was under the control of the Israeli armed forces. He argued that the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, considered together with the settlements in East Jerusalem, had made it more difficult to establish a unified Palestinian state on the ground.
Lavrov also said that Israel’s administration had made statements that a Palestinian state would not be established. He said he hoped the parties could reach an agreement in a calmer environment after the elections in Israel and expressed hope that the different groups in Palestinian politics would reunite.
