Lavrov accuses France of proposing Ukraine dialogue without Kyiv’s involvement

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has claimed that France had made proposals to initiate dialogue on the Ukrainian conflict without involving Kyiv, a move he described as contradictory to Western principles.

“There have been several closed-door calls from our French colleagues: ‘Let’s facilitate, establish a dialogue on the Ukrainian issue,’ by the way, without any Ukraine,” Lavrov stated during a media interview.

Lavrov criticized these overtures from Paris, suggesting they undermine the West’s declared policy of “not a word about Ukraine without Ukraine.” He further pointed out France’s dual role in the conflict, accusing it of both advocating for peacekeeping missions in Ukraine and actively training Ukrainian soldiers.

“Such ambiguous behavior does not cause a desire to be taken seriously,” Lavrov concluded, casting doubt on France’s credibility in mediating the conflict.