Russia says US no longer neutral in Ukraine war mediation
Lavrov accuses Washington of shifting to sanctions pressure, while Putin says Europe is preparing for war through military spending.
Russia on June 23 said the United States is no longer acting as a neutral mediator in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow that Washington has moved away from a middleman role and is instead stepping up sanctions pressure on Russia. The remarks came as talks initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump have effectively stalled, after the White House shifted its attention to the Middle East following strikes on Iran in late February. Separately, President Vladimir Putin accused European countries of openly preparing for war against Russia through a surge in military budgets. He also repeated demands that Ukraine withdraw troops from Donbas and said his forces were close to capturing Kostiantynivka.