Lavrov warns Europe of retaliation as Zelenskyy opens reconstruction talks with Trump officials

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned connected Wednesday that Moscow volition retaliate if European governments deploy troops to Ukraine oregon prehend frozen Russian assets to enactment Kyiv, according to Reuters.

Lavrov delivered the remarks earlier the Federation Council, Russia’s precocious location of parliament, outlining Moscow’s stance connected the warfare and its clash with the West. Reuters reported that Lavrov insisted Russia does not question warfare with Europe but is prepared to enactment if it views Western countries arsenic escalating the conflict.

"We volition respond to immoderate hostile steps, including the deployment of European subject contingents successful Ukraine and the expropriation of Russian assets. And we are already prepared for this response," Lavrov said, according to Reuters.

Lavrov besides praised President Donald Trump’s attack to a imaginable settlement, calling him the "only Western leader" who understands what helium described arsenic the reasons the warfare was "inevitable." He said Moscow appreciates Trump’s involvement successful dialog but noted Trump is "not lone successful nary hurry to lift, but is really increasing" sanctions connected Russia, Reuters reported.

EUROPEAN TALKS RESHAPE UKRAINE’S PEACE PLAN AS ZELENSKYY REFUSES TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "We volition respond to immoderate hostile steps, including the deployment of European subject contingents successful Ukraine," helium said earlier today. (Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service telegram transmission via AP)

His comments referenced Trump’s disapproval of Europe earlier this week. In an interrogation with Politico connected Monday, Trump said European leaders "talk but they don’t produce," describing them arsenic "weak" and focused connected being "politically correct." He added that helium plans to proceed endorsing European governmental figures who stock his views, adjacent if it "provokes pushback."

European Council President António Costa rebuked Trump’s remarks, telling an assemblage astatine the Jacques Delors Institute league successful Paris connected Monday: "If we are allies, we indispensable enactment arsenic specified — and allies bash not endanger to interfere successful each other’s home governmental beingness and antiauthoritarian choices," according to Reuters. Costa added that Europe and the U.S. "no longer share" the aforesaid imaginativeness of the planetary order.

As Lavrov accused Europe of obstructing bid efforts, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced what helium called the archetypal ceremonial gathering with elder Trump medication officials connected Ukraine’s reconstruction.

EX-CIA STATION CHIEF WARNS PUTIN USING TALKS TO GAIN LEVERAGE AS UKRAINE DELEGATION MEETS TOP TRUMP OFFICIALS

In a station connected X connected Wednesday, Zelenskyy wrote: "Together with our team, I held a productive treatment with the American side... In fact, this could beryllium considered the archetypal gathering of the radical that volition enactment connected a papers concerning the reconstruction and economical betterment of Ukraine."

A nonmigratory walks among the debris adjacent a damaged house, a time aft a Russian onslaught connected a suburb of Odesa, confederate Ukraine connected March 7, 2025, amid the Russian penetration of Ukraine. (Oleksandr Gimanova/AFP via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

He said they discussed "key elements for recovery, assorted mechanisms, and visions for reconstruction" and reviewed updates to the "20 points of the model papers for ending the war." Zelenskyy added that "overall security… volition find economical information and underpin a harmless concern environment."

The Ukrainian president said some sides agreed to proceed talks, adding: "As always, determination volition beryllium nary delays connected our side. We are moving to present results." He closed by thanking Trump, writing: "I convey President Trump and his squad for their substantive enactment and support."

Reuters contributed to this article.