Sergei Lavrov (AP)
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, in a rare English-language interview with US network NBC, has defended Moscow’s actions in Ukraine, denying that Russian forces have targeted civilians and accusing the West of obstructing peace.Speaking on Meet the Press in a pre-taped remote interview aired Sunday, Lavrov refused to label Russia’s military actions as an “invasion” and instead accused Kyiv of mistreating ethnic Russians in key border regions.“We want peace in Ukraine. He wants, President Trump wants, peace in Ukraine,” Lavrov said, adding that recent European diplomatic activity showed “they don’t want peace.”Lavrov dismissed allegations of Russian attacks on hospitals, schools, and civilian-owned factories, including American-linked facilities, as incorrect. Ukraine and its Western allies have labelled many of these strikes as possible war crimes.His comments reflect Moscow’s continued hardline stance, even as the Trump administration works to negotiate a resolution to the nearly three-year-old war. Tens of thousands of civilians have died since the conflict began, with millions displaced.The interview marks a rare appearance by a senior Russian official on a major American news programme, widely seen as a move to directly influence policymakers in Washington. Lavrov also cast doubt on the possibility of a summit between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing too many unresolved issues.NBC had earlier released a clip in which Lavrov questioned Zelenskyy’s legitimacy and blamed Ukraine for delays in the peace process. Ukrainian officials, in turn, have accused Moscow of engaging in talks with President Trump in bad faith.Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance told Meet the Press that Russia has made “significant concessions to President Trump” for the first time in over three years of conflict. Vance said Putin had agreed to Ukraine’s “territorial integrity,” and security guarantees backed by allies.The interview underlines growing geopolitical friction as diplomatic talks continue with both sides trading accusations over delays and deadlock.
