Lavrov Slams Europe, Praises Trump

 

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticized Europe and the European Union as “the main obstacles to peace in Ukraine,” while praising Washington’s efforts to reach a final solution to the war.

 

In an interview with the Russian news agency TASS published on Sunday, Lavrov sharply criticized the role of European leaders and governments in hindering the peace process in Ukraine and fueling unrest in West Asia. The Russian foreign minister confirmed that Moscow “is determined to continue working with American negotiators to work out long-term agreements” on the causes of the war in Ukraine, and praised US President Donald Trump and his team for their mediation. “Russia appreciates the efforts of US President Donald Trump and his team to reach a peace agreement. We are determined to continue working with American negotiators to work out long-term agreements that address the causes of the conflict,” Lavrov said.

 

But the senior diplomat was critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his “European curators,” saying they were “not ready for constructive negotiations.” “They dream of the Russian economy collapsing under the pressure of their sanctions,” he said of European sanctions on Moscow, stressing that “after the new administration came to power in the United States, Europe and the European Union have become the main obstacles to peace.” “They make no secret that they are preparing to fight Russia on the battlefield,” he said. Lavrov went on to condemn European governments for using Kyiv as a “battering ram” against Russia, ignoring evidence-based corruption scandals.

 

Speaking about European officials seeking to deploy troops in Ukraine under a “coalition of the willing,” he added: “They don’t care not only about the Ukrainians, but also about their own people. This is the only way to explain the fact that Europe is still talking about sending troops to Ukraine. We have repeatedly said that in this case, our armed forces would consider them a legitimate target.”

 

“My message to European politicians who seem to have difficulty coming to terms with this fact — I hope they will read this interview — is to reiterate that there is no need to be afraid that Russia will attack anyone,” the Russian foreign minister said. “However, if someone were to attack Russia, they would suffer a devastating blow, which President Vladimir Putin has been talking about for a long time,” Lavrov stressed.