Europe is gearing up for another war against Russia while undermining ongoing peace efforts to resolve the Ukrainian conflict, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Lavrov knocked EU nations for avoiding direct contact with Moscow, preferring to impose “more and more sanctions.” The 19th package in effect.

“They [European capitals] are openly preparing for a new big war against Russia and are trying to talk Washington into rejecting an honest and fair settlement,” he stated.

Lavrov accused members of the “coalition of the willing” of desiring to keep hostilities in Ukraine running for as long as possible, “to distract their voters from deteriorating domestic socio-economic problems.”

The diplomat insists there’s a grand plan to compromise the position of the current United States government, which has advocated dialogue and displayed commitment to seek a lasting peace.

Lavrov hopes “common sense prevails in Washington,” urging the Trump administration to hold onto its principled position and shun actions capable of propelling the conflict “to the next level of escalation.”

He said the goal of the special military operation is Ukraine’s return to a neutral, non-aligning and non-nuclear status, and strict observance of the rights of the Russian and other national minorities.

According to Lavrov, the obligations, which were stipulated by Ukraine’s Declaration of Independence of 1990 and in its Constitution, motivated Russia to recognize the independence of the Ukrainian state.

On the possibility of America delivering Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kiev, the minister declared: “Weapons coming from Europe or the US make no difference for our military; they immediately destroy all military targets.”
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Moscow says the West already implied a proxy war through Ukraine, citing remarks by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, US President’s Envoy Keith Kellogg, and EU officials Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas.

Lavrov, however, reiterated the firm determination of Russia to “legitimately and reasonably” protect itself from “the threats created by the West using the regime under its control.”

Asked about official losses in the war, Lavrov said: “This year, Russia has transferred over 9,000 bodies of Ukrainian personnel in repatriation. We have received 143 bodies of our fighters from Ukraine.”