Mediation in Doubt: Russia Accuses Washington of Abandoning Neutrality on Ukraine
Moscow- Russia accused the United States on Tuesday of abandoning its role as a neutral intermediary in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, signaling growing frustration in Moscow over stalled peace diplomacy and Washington’s support for additional sanctions and military assistance to Kyiv.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States was increasingly acting as a party to the conflict rather than an impartial broker, following recent commitments by Group of Seven leaders to intensify economic pressure on Russia and expand support for Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
“As for the United States, judging by their actions, they appear to be abandoning any claim to the role of an objective mediator and are instead pursuing a course of escalating sanctions pressure on Russia,” Lavrov told foreign diplomats in Moscow.
The remarks come as U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to secure a negotiated settlement between Russia and Ukraine remain largely at a standstill. President Donald Trump, who returned to office in 2025 after pledging to swiftly end the conflict, has sought to encourage direct engagement between the two sides. However, negotiations have produced little tangible progress amid deep disagreements over territorial and security issues.
During a summit in France earlier this month, G7 leaders endorsed a joint statement reaffirming support for Ukraine and calling for stronger measures against Russia’s wartime economy. The communiqué included commitments to increase deliveries of air-defense equipment to Kyiv and tighten sanctions targeting Russian revenue streams, particularly in the energy sector.
Lavrov also criticized European governments for expanding military assistance to Ukraine, arguing that the continent was contributing to instability rather than promoting a diplomatic resolution.
“Europe is once again becoming a major threat to international peace and security,” Lavrov said, referring to ongoing military support provided by European allies to Kyiv.
The conflict, now in its fifth year, began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and remains Europe’s deadliest war since World War Two.
A central obstacle to negotiations remains Moscow’s demand that Ukraine withdraw its forces from parts of the eastern Donbas region still under Kyiv’s control as a prerequisite for broader peace talks. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly rejected the proposal, arguing that territorial concessions would encourage further Russian demands and undermine the country’s sovereignty.
With both sides maintaining positions that remain far apart, prospects for a breakthrough in negotiations appear limited despite continued diplomatic contacts and international mediation efforts.
