Ukrainian President Zelensky has been condemned for his role in prolonging the war by Russian officials.
The Russian foreign minister said America’s position on the Ukraine conflict has become almost indistinguishable from that of the EU, making President Trump’s stated ambition to mediate an end to the fighting hollow.
Trump repeatedly blamed the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on his predecessor, Joe Biden, and claimed he could bring it to a swift conclusion while campaigning in 2024.
However, recent statements by members of his administration suggest a different course, Lavrov said on Thursday during an interview at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
“Biden’s war has become Trump’s war,” the Russian foreign minister stated.
Speaking to Congress this week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said efforts to facilitate Russia-Ukraine talks were complicated because, “frankly, we’re not an impartial mediator.” He cited the continuation of sanctions on Russia and sales of U.S. weapons to Ukraine.
“After we agreed to the United States proposal in Anchorage [in August 2025], Washington began to shift its position,” Lavrov said. “Instead of advancing those same proposals in its dealings with Ukrainians, it is now pretending that the parties should sort things out themselves. This is not a very consistent position.”
“It is the West that cannot be trusted to keep its agreements. Its approach is: ‘I’ll promise something now, then stall for time.’ If the U.S. had truly advanced its own initiative, I think… the fighting would already have stopped.”
According to Lavrov, the only major difference between Trump’s policy and that of Biden and the EU is that his administration resumed direct talks with Russia. Dialogue is important, he said, but it must be matched by action on commitments already made.
