Russia’s foreign minister has praised U.S. President Donald Trump for his “common sense” attempt to end the war in Ukraine, while accusing Kyiv’s EU allies of seeking to prolong the conflict.
Sergei Lavrov said Washington and Moscow would never see eye to eye on everything, but that they had agreed to be pragmatic when interests coincided, Reuters reported.
Since Trump returned to the White House in January, the two countries have started discussions about bringing the war in Ukraine to an end. A preliminary meeting was held in Saudi Arabia last month.
Ukraine and its partners in the European Union were not invited to talks, and relations between the U.S. and Ukraine have soured in the meantime, culminating in a public bust-up between Trump and the Ukranian president in the Oval Office on Friday.
Working with Trump is “interesting” and his style “gives a lively, human character to politics”, Lavrov told the Russian military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda, according to a transcript released by Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
“Donald Trump is a pragmatist,” he added. “His slogan is common sense. It means, as everyone can see, a shift to a different way of doing things.”
While the West and Ukraine largely describe the 2022 invasion of Ukraine as an imperial-style land grab by Russia, Putin and his administration cast the war as part of an existential battle with forces that are encroaching on what he considers Moscow’s sphere of influence.
Since Trump returned to the White House in January, the two countries have started discussions about bringing the war in Ukraine to an end. A preliminary meeting was held in Saudi Arabia last month.
Ukraine and its partners in the European Union were not invited to talks, and relations between the U.S. and Ukraine have soured in the meantime, culminating in a public bust-up between Trump and the Ukranian president in the Oval Office on Friday.
Trump is a ‘pragmatist’ - Lavrov
Working with Trump is “interesting” and his style “gives a lively, human character to politics”, Lavrov told the Russian military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda, according to a transcript released by Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
“Donald Trump is a pragmatist,” he added. “His slogan is common sense. It means, as everyone can see, a shift to a different way of doing things.”
While the West and Ukraine largely describe the 2022 invasion of Ukraine as an imperial-style land grab by Russia, Putin and his administration cast the war as part of an existential battle with forces that are encroaching on what he considers Moscow’s sphere of influence.
In his interview, Lavrov heavily criticized Ukraine’s European allies, saying that for the past 500 years Europe had been the crucible of “all the tragedies of the world” from colonization to Adolf Hitler.
“And now, after [former U.S. President Joe] Biden’s term, people have come in who want to be guided by common sense. They say directly that they want to end all wars, they want peace," the foreign minister said.
“And who demands a ‘continuation of the banquet’ in the form of a war? Europe.”
European leaders say they want a “lasting peace” in Ukraine, with security guarantees backed by the United States in case Russia violates the terms of any ceasefire.
Ahead of a meeting in London on Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said U.K. and France will work with Ukraine to formulate a peace plan to be jointly presented to the Trump administration.
“And now, after [former U.S. President Joe] Biden’s term, people have come in who want to be guided by common sense. They say directly that they want to end all wars, they want peace," the foreign minister said.
“And who demands a ‘continuation of the banquet’ in the form of a war? Europe.”
European leaders say they want a “lasting peace” in Ukraine, with security guarantees backed by the United States in case Russia violates the terms of any ceasefire.
Ahead of a meeting in London on Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said U.K. and France will work with Ukraine to formulate a peace plan to be jointly presented to the Trump administration.
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