Estonian Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas said on Friday that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov presented “lies” during the G20 foreign‑ministers meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, and that Moscow is not ready to negotiate a peace settlement in Ukraine. Kallas, who heads the European Union’s diplomatic service, told AFP that the G20 summit, which ran for two days, focused on major geopolitical crises, including the war in Ukraine. “We could confront Sergei Lavrov directly about the lies and false statements he made,” she said. “We responded to them and refuted them.” She added that Russia’s actions in July, August and September – the months with the highest number of civilian casualties in Ukraine – demonstrate a lack of willingness to negotiate. “Even if they declare it verbally, their actions say otherwise,” Kallas said. Kallas called for continued pressure on Moscow, especially to secure a ceasefire in the Black Sea region. She noted that a new round of talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States is scheduled for November, but that Russia appears unwilling to advance peace talks. The meeting also saw a break from tradition when the joint photo of G20 foreign ministers was cancelled. A diplomatic source told AFP that several European ministers declined to stand beside Lavrov, citing a decision made after the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine to avoid normalising the presence of Russian officials at international forums. Kallas said the EU’s policy on this matter remains unchanged.