Bangladesh, Dec. 28 -- The European Union has emerged as the principal obstacle to any meaningful peace settlement in Ukraine, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who has accused Brussels of abandoning diplomacy in favor of militarization and ideological confrontation. In a wide-ranging interview with TASS, Lavrov argued that the EU is neither prepared nor willing to engage in constructive negotiations, instead doubling down on a strategy aimed at inflicting what it calls a “strategic defeat” on Russia.

Lavrovs remarks underscore Moscows long-standing position that the conflict in Ukraine is no longer merely a bilateral confrontation but a proxy war driven by Western political interests. According to the fore...