Russia has accused European countries of not wanting peace in Ukraine. The country also claimed that these nations aim to escalate tensions and prolong the war.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been ongoing for over three years, and recently, efforts to end the conflict have intensified. Amidst these developments, Moscow made this statement.
According to a report by the news agency Anadolu on Friday (March 14), Russia accused European countries on Thursday of obstructing peace efforts in Ukraine. The country alleged that their goal is to increase tensions and extend the war further.
In response to a question from Anadolu, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that Germany and France had publicly admitted to violating the Minsk Agreements of 2014-2015 regarding eastern Ukraine. She also mentioned that Britain discouraged Ukraine from negotiating with Russia in March 2022.
During a press conference in Moscow, she emphasized that these countries have made no efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, making their stance on Ukraine irrelevant.
She added, “If they change their fundamental approach—which is currently based on escalating tensions and Russophobia—we will consider it. But for now, there is no basis to take their frenzied position into account.”
Zakharova further claimed that European countries are actively opposing a peaceful resolution to the crisis. She indicated that some political forces in Europe are deliberately obstructing any attempts at negotiation.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson remarked, “They (European countries) are uncomfortable with the words ‘peace’ and ‘solution.’ They do not want it. Their goal is to escalate tensions and prolong the war. (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky and the European leaders supporting him continue to push for more arms supplies to Ukraine.”
Regarding reports that Europe is considering sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, Zakharova issued a warning, stating that deploying foreign military units or bases in Ukraine under any pretext would be “completely unacceptable.”
She said, “This would mean that those countries are directly engaging in war against Russia. We will respond with all available means. Such actions could significantly worsen the situation.”
Referring to Europe’s military buildup, she argued that measures to strengthen the continent’s defense industry are aimed at further fueling conflict in the region.
Speaking on Russia-U.S. relations, Zakharova noted that Moscow acknowledges Washington’s willingness to improve relations. However, she added that any such statements must be backed by concrete actions, as “we have seen before that their words often do not align with their actions.”
