Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently criticized Western powers for what he described as a dramatic shift in their approach to the war in Ukraine. He pointed out that, after years of insisting there could be no negotiations until Ukraine gained the upper hand and Russia suffered a strategic defeat, the European Union and NATO members have now reversed course. According to Lavrov, these same countries are suddenly calling for an unconditional ceasefire—not to secure victory, but to give Ukraine a much-needed pause.