Lavrov: Ukraine Crisis Needs Lasting Solution that Ends Threats to Russia
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday reiterated that any resolution to the Ukraine conflict must be comprehensive and address the root causes of the crisis. He stressed that a lasting settlement must guarantee that no threats will emanate from Ukrainian territory—either to Russia or to neighboring states—and that human rights inside Ukraine are not endangered.
Lavrov criticized NATO’s recent decision to increase military spending, accusing the alliance of fueling conflict instead of addressing real social and economic issues. “Rather than using taxpayer funds to solve acute internal problems, the money is being funneled into a senseless war in Ukraine,” he said.
The Russian foreign minister also took aim at the United States, accusing it of undermining the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and manipulating the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for political ends. Lavrov said Washington, along with the UK, France, and Germany, had turned the IAEA’s latest report into a politically driven tool, especially concerning Iran.
He reminded that there is no evidence Iran has diverted its nuclear activities toward a military program, and condemned what he called the West’s “deliberately alarmist tone,” which he said emboldened Israel’s recent military operation.
