Abhishek G BhayaAmid widespread global criticism of US President Donald Trump for a series of controversial foreign policy decisions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov offered an unexpected endorsement during a freewheeling exchange at the 4th Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Saturday.
Speaking on the second day of the high-profile international event, Lavrov said, “President Trump… seems to understand much, much, much more about what is going on [in Ukraine] than any European leader,” emphasising what he described as Trump’s nuanced grasp of the Russia-Ukraine conflict—unlike his European counterparts.
“Except, I would highlight Hungary and Slovakia. These leaders are quite thoughtful,” Lavrov added.
Since his second inauguration on January 20, Trump has enacted a swift reversal of Washington’s Ukraine policy—halting military aid to Kiev, calling for direct peace talks, and rolling back support for NATO’s eastward expansion.
In a historic shift, he also became the first US president to publicly acknowledge Russia's long-held position that NATO’s expansion near its borders was the root cause of the Russia-Ukraine war, marking a dramatic departure from the traditional bipartisan consensus in Washington.
Trump’s proposals “more reasonable than Brussels bureaucracy”
Lavrov referred to recent phone conversations between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that the US President had offered “several proposals” — notably, a renewed plan for safe navigation in the Black Sea and a “30-day moratorium” on attacks against energy infrastructure.
Highlighting one of Trump’s ideas, Lavrov said, “Another initiative of President Trump was [a] 30-day moratorium attacks on Russian energy sites... President Putin immediately agreed,” noting that the Russian military had even shot down its own drones already in flight to comply with the commitment. “Since then, we have been keeping the word, and Ukrainians have been attacking us from the very beginning, every passing day.”
This account was presented as evidence of Russian willingness to abide by peace-oriented proposals — particularly those not dictated by what Lavrov described as the “Brussels bureaucracy.”
European leaders accused of backing Ukraine’s “racist regime”
Lavrov was harshly critical of Ukraine’s government, repeatedly referring to it as a “racist regime.” He claimed that European leaders were not interested in genuine peacekeeping, but rather in propping up Kiev’s government through military force cloaked as international peace initiatives.
“[Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy said, ‘We don’t need peacekeepers. We need fighting units.’ So make your own conclusion,” Lavrov declared. “They want to use this force — not to keep peace — but to keep and protect the ‘racist’ regime. Everything else is smoke.”
Lavrov also dismissed proposals floated by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer about establishing a “stabilisation force” in Ukraine. According to Lavrov, these proposals lacked neutrality and were aimed at entrenching the current power structure in Kiev, not resolving the conflict.
Lavrov saved some of his sharpest words for European leaders, whom he accused of hypocrisy and disregard for their own citizens.
“When criticised by people for saying, ‘we live worse than before,’ [European leaders] say, ‘yes, we understand, but our electorate should suffer for the sake of Ukraine,’” he mocked. “Meanwhile, thousands of Ukrainians are living in Europe in luxury, buying very expensive vehicles. But this is what the European elite calls European values.”
As the US sidelines its European allies in talks with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, Europe faces a stark reality—its costly support for the conflict has backfired, straining its economy and weakening its own defence.
Referendums, history, and territorial claims
On Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Lavrov rejected the inviolability of the 1991 borders and defended Moscow's annexation of several regions that held referendums in favour of joining the Russian federation. However, Ukraine has rejected these referandums, which have also been deemed invalid by the UN.
“It’s about making 100 percent certain that the people who have been living there for centuries are not deprived of their inherent right,” Lavrov said. He accused the West of ignoring “gross violations” of the rights of ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking minorities in Ukraine.
“We listen to those people who voted in that referendum to join Russia—to restore all their rights which belong to them, by international law and by history, by justice,” he added.
Lavrov’s framing emphasised not only Russia’s geopolitical stance but also a narrative of historical grievance and rectification.
However, Ukraine has consistently maintained that its internationally-recognised 1991 borders, including Crimea and the eastern regions currently under Russian control, are non-negotiable.
Kiev asserts that any peace plan must begin with a full Russian withdrawal from occupied territories and the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity in accordance with international law.
Distrust of UN and European mediation
Lavrov expressed frustration with the failure of previous diplomatic efforts — particularly the 2022 Black Sea grain deal. He accused the UN of being “tricky” and ineffective, claiming they acknowledged sanctions as legitimate while simultaneously trying to bypass them.
“We don’t blame the UN, whose representatives were trying... but the UN Secretariat position was very tricky,” Lavrov said, lamenting how Russian agricultural and fertiliser exports remained blocked despite promises.
Even Türkiye’s recent attempts to revive the grain deal were ultimately scuttled by Ukraine, Lavrov claimed. “President Putin said that he will support it, provided President Erdogan used his good offices to discipline Ukrainians... and then Zelenskyy refused.”
Erdogan reiterates his long-standing criticism of the United Nations Security Council, reiterating his signature phrase, “The world is bigger than five,” a reference to the Council's five permanent members.
Ukraine can’t be resolved militarily
Lavrov closed his remarks by questioning the motives behind any external military involvement in Ukraine, warning that the proposed stabilisation or peacekeeping forces were not neutral and served ulterior motives.
“You want to have peacekeepers to keep the same regime, which is now headed by Zelenskyy?” he asked rhetorically. “Nobody is raising the issue [of] whether it would be interested in implementing the international commitments... including the rights of minorities, language and religious rights.”
Lavrov's stance was clear: any path to peace must involve not only military disengagement but also political overhaul in Ukraine — and, according to him, the only Western leader currently acknowledging this reality may be Donald Trump.
