Sergey Lavrov Accuses US of Direct Participation in Ukraine War

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov outlined Russia's positions on several global conflicts during a press conference following ASEAN meetings on Wednesday. Lavrov accused the United States of direct participation in the Ukraine conflict, asserting that American intelligence and the Starlink system are used to guide Ukrainian weapons toward Russian targets, including civilians.

Addressing peace prospects, Lavrov stated that Russia considers previous understandings between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Anchorage to be the basis for a lasting peace deal in Ukraine. He also criticized European militarization and characterized U.S. and Israeli actions against Iran as a war that could encourage nuclear proliferation by demonstrating that nuclear weapons are the only guarantee of sovereignty.

On the Korean Peninsula, Lavrov announced that Russia no longer supports the denuclearization of the region, citing the need for North Korea to maintain defensive capabilities. Regarding regional diplomacy, he expressed intent to double trade between Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to $44 billion by 2036, while warning that U.S.-backed security groupings in the Indo-Pacific seek to undermine the central role of ASEAN.