Berlin, Apr. 11, (dpa/GNA) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has sharply criticized European Union politicians against the backdrop of a rapprochement between the Kremlin and the new US administration.

Politicians such as acting German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen showed how “low the EU has fallen,” Lavrov told Russian news agencies on Friday.

Those politicians were not thinking of their voters, but had put the desire to punish Russia above the well-being of their own citizens, Lavrov said at a meeting of foreign ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States in the Kazakh city of Almaty.

In contrast, he did express respect for the US government under President Donald Trump. Contacts with the US side had shown that there was an understanding in principle of the need for dialogue while maintaining the national interests of both sides, according to the minister.

“We see that, unlike in Europe, which – and here I include Great Britain – is completely ignoring the causes of the current situation, there is a desire in the United States to address the core of the problem,” Lavrov said.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine more than three years ago. While Western allies have provided massive military support for Kiev, efforts to negotiate an end to the war only gained new impetus after US President Donald Trump took office in January.

European allies have effectively been sidelined from the US-Russia talks, fuelling fears that Washington could negotiate a deal favourable to Moscow.

GNA

PDC