Lavrov: Europe seeks to prolong Ukraine conflict

KABUL (Pajhwok): Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused European countries of attempting to extend the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv, a media report said on Monday.

Lavrov praised US President Donald Trump’s “common-sense” aim to end the conflict in Ukraine, Reuters reported.

He said the United States still wanted to be the world's most powerful country and that Washington and Moscow would never see eye to eye on everything, but they had agreed to be pragmatic when their interests coincided.

"And now, after (former US president Joe) Biden's term, people have come in who want to be guided by common sense. They say directly that they want to end all wars, they want peace," Lavrov commented.

However, the top Russian diplomat accused European nations of working to prolong the Ukraine conflict.

Meanwhile, European leaders held a meeting in the United Kingdom on Sunday to reaffirm their support to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

After a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on February 24,, Trump had said ending the war between Russia and Ukraine would benefit both countries.

kk/mud