...Lavrov Warns Europe of “Prepared Response,” Praises Trump as Only Western Leader Who “Understands” Ukraine War
Moscow, December 10, 2025 – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the Federation Council on Wednesday that Moscow is fully ready to respond if European countries send troops to Ukraine or confiscate frozen Russian sovereign assets, while simultaneously describing U.S. President Donald Trump as the only Western leader who truly grasps why the war became “inevitable.”
Speaking during the traditional “government hour” in Russia’s upper house of parliament, Lavrov struck a carefully calibrated tone: Russia has no intention of going to war with Europe, but it will not tolerate what it views as direct provocations.
“We will respond to any hostile steps, including the deployment of European military contingents in Ukraine and the expropriation of Russian assets. And we are already prepared for this response,” Lavrov said, adding that Moscow has “no plans whatsoever to fight against Europe.”
His remarks come as several European leaders, most notably France and Britain, have begun openly discussing the possibility of deploying limited “reassurance” or peacekeeping forces to Ukraine after a potential ceasefire. Lavrov’s warning also directly addressed the European Union’s ongoing deliberations over using profits from approximately €300 billion in frozen Russian central bank assets to finance Ukrainian reconstruction and weapons purchases.
On the diplomatic front, Lavrov singled out President Trump for praise, calling him the only Western figure who recognises the “root causes” that Moscow insists made the conflict unavoidable, primarily NATO’s eastward expansion and the alleged discrimination against Russian speakers in Ukraine.
“We appreciate President Trump’s commitment to dialogue and his desire to resolve the Ukrainian crisis through negotiations,” Lavrov said. At the same time, he noted with dry irony that Trump is “not only in no hurry to lift sanctions, but is actually increasing them,” a reference to the latest U.S. measures targeting Russian energy exports and oligarch networks.
Lavrov accused European governments of deliberately dragging their feet on peace talks and “artificially restraining” possible agreements. He pointed to Trump’s recent interview with Politico in which the U.S. president criticised European leaders as “weak” and said they “talk but don’t produce,” allowing the war to drag on endlessly.
The Russian foreign minister claimed this demonstrated that the West is deeply divided on how to end the conflict, with Europe clinging to maximalist goals while Trump pushes for a pragmatic settlement.
Trump’s blunt comments on Monday drew an immediate rebuke from European Council President António Costa. Speaking at the Jacques Delors Institute in Paris, Costa warned that true allies “do not threaten to interfere in each other’s domestic political life and democratic choices.” He acknowledged a growing divergence in worldview, stating that Europe and the United States “no longer share the same vision of the international order.”
The exchange has intensified concerns in Brussels and several European capitals that the Trump administration may scale back U.S. support for Ukraine or pressure Kyiv into territorial concessions, including recognition of Russian control over Crimea and parts of Donbas.
Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to make slow but steady territorial gains in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian troops struggle with ammunition shortages and winter conditions that have crippled the country’s power grid. European leaders have pledged to fill any gap left by a potential reduction in American aid, but analysts remain sceptical about the continent’s ability to replace U.S. military assistance on the same scale.
Lavrov concluded his address by reiterating Moscow’s long-standing conditions for peace: Ukrainian neutrality, demilitarisation, “denazification,” and recognition of “new territorial realities.” He gave no indication that Russia is prepared to compromise on those demands.
As diplomatic manoeuvring intensifies ahead of a possible Trump-brokered ceasefire, Lavrov’s speech served as a clear message to both Washington and European capitals: Moscow believes time is on its side and is prepared for any escalation Europe might choose.
