Russia blames Europe and Ukraine for blocking U.S.-led peace talks, insists it wants lasting peace, and says Trump once supported a deal.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said European nations and Ukraine are pressuring the U.S. to block peace talks with Moscow, claiming such interference has stalled progress. He insisted Russia seeks a lasting peace agreement, not a temporary ceasefire, and criticized the U.S. shift toward demanding an immediate halt to fighting as a radical change. Lavrov blamed European "hawks" and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for undermining diplomacy, saying direct negotiations could have yielded results without their influence. He highlighted President Donald Trump’s past support for a comprehensive settlement, including during a meeting with Putin in Alaska, and stated Russia remains ready to engage, with any summit in Budapest dependent on U.S. action.