Russia has criticized the United States for abandoning its role as an impartial mediator in the conflict in Ukraine, following indications that former U.S. President Donald Trump is shifting his stance in favor of Kyiv. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. had stepped back from efforts to broker a resolution and appeared to have disregarded Trump’s statements from the previous year, which moved somewhat closer to Moscow’s position.
Recent private discussions at last week’s G7 summit revealed that Trump expressed strong support for Ukraine’s intensified campaign of strikes deep inside Russian territory, including attacks near Moscow and an oil refinery on the city’s outskirts. These actions have been bolstered by U.S. intelligence assistance, which allies have urged Washington to maintain.
Lavrov’s comments, made at a Moscow foreign policy conference, underscore growing Russian frustration that the U.S. has not facilitated a resolution on terms favorable to President Vladimir Putin. Lavrov declared that Russia would now focus on fulfilling its invasion objectives independently, as hopes for the U.S. acting as an honest mediator have effectively ended.
Until recently, U.S. intelligence assessments favored Russia’s position in the war, but European diplomats and U.S. officials have noted a shift. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently told a Senate hearing that Russia is unlikely to achieve its original war aims and may not be able to reach any military objectives demanded in negotiations. Senior Ukrainian officials also believe Trump is increasingly supportive of stronger aid to Kyiv and might exert more pressure on Russia to end the conflict, though they remain cautious given his inconsistent past promises and previous cordial ties with Putin.
During a meeting last week in Evian, Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly engaged in a lengthy discussion, with Trump expressing admiration for Ukraine’s military progress. Following the meeting, Zelenskyy announced that Trump and Rubio positively responded to the prospect of licensing Ukrainian production of Patriot missile interceptors, a move Zelenskyy framed as contingent on Trump’s personal approval.
Putin has in the past attempted to influence Trump, including calls on the eve of allied summits, but a recent call on Trump’s birthday appeared to have minimal impact on his view. At the G7, Trump urged Russia to seek a deal, citing heavy losses on both sides and estimating monthly casualties at around 25,000 combined soldiers.
European capitals have welcomed the apparent change in Trump’s perspective, particularly his recognition that a Russian victory is not guaranteed, and have pushed for increased support to Ukraine. NATO officials emphasize that an adequately supplied Ukraine can achieve significant operational gains.
Moscow has struggled to counter Ukraine’s technological advancements, which have disrupted Russian forces and damaged infrastructure within Russian territory. Speaking to military academy graduates, Putin described Ukrainian strikes as desperate attempts to destabilize Russian society and sow doubt about the military campaign, asserting that Russian forces continue to make unstoppable progress.
Russia remains formally committed to a U.S.-led peace process, though this effort has stalled amid recent developments in the Middle East. Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy adviser to Putin, noted that Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to visit Moscow following a U.S. peace agreement with Iran.
Behind the scenes, Russian dissatisfaction with the U.S. has been mounting since last summer, partly due to misunderstandings during a contentious meeting between Putin and Trump in Alaska. Russia perceived that Witkoff misrepresented its position, contributing to the breakdown of negotiations. Trump subsequently abandoned his earlier push for an immediate ceasefire and appeared to endorse some of Putin’s settlement demands, but the U.S. has since reverted to a firmer stance aligned with Kyiv.
Lavrov suggested that previous diplomatic engagements, including the Alaska meeting, may have been tactics by Western powers to delay while continuing to arm Ukraine’s government. He expressed resignation about past events but indicated Russia would proceed with its own goals regardless of U.S. actions.