‘They Traded Their Interests’: Lavrov Says European Elites Using Ukraine To Fight Russia

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 19:21 IST

Lavrov accused European elites of sacrificing national interests for Ukraine, deepening reliance on the United States.

Lavrov accuses Europe of abandoning its own interests, relying on Washington and fighting Russia through Ukraine. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused European elites of sacrificing their own national interests and using Ukraine to wage a war against Russia, arguing that Europe has made itself dependent on the United States after cutting ties with Moscow.

Speaking to a reporter, Lavrov said European leaders had “traded their own interests for the interests of the Ukrainian regime" and were now openly using Kyiv to fight Russia. He claimed that European governments were no longer hiding their intentions and were preparing for direct involvement in the conflict.

“That’s exactly the case with most European elites. They have traded their own interests for… the interests of the Ukrainian regime, and they are actively using that regime to fight against Russia, no longer even hiding it, and are preparing for war with their own direct participation," Lavrov said, according to a video shared by news outlet NEXTA.

Lavrov dismissed suggestions that Moscow should be concerned about Europe’s strategic choices. “That’s not our problem," he said, adding that European countries had driven themselves into a corner by severing contacts with Russia and becoming fully reliant on Washington.

The remarks come as diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine face fresh delays. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a second round of talks between Russian, Ukrainian and US officials on a US-drafted peace plan would now begin on Wednesday, instead of Sunday.

The meetings are scheduled for February 4 and 5 in Abu Dhabi, though neither the Kremlin nor Washington has confirmed the dates. The delay follows surprise talks in Florida between senior US officials and a top Russian economic envoy, held without Ukrainian participation.

The United States has said it is close to brokering a deal, but major disagreements remain, particularly over territory. Russia currently occupies around 20 percent of Ukraine and is pushing for full control of the eastern Donetsk region, while Kyiv has warned that any territorial concessions would embolden Moscow and fail to deter future aggression.

The conflict, which began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has left cities in ruins and killed tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians.

News world ‘They Traded Their Interests’: Lavrov Says European Elites Using Ukraine To Fight Russia

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