Lavrov accuses West of prolonging Ukraine war

On September 8, 2026, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made a series of statements accusing the West of prolonging the war in Ukraine and of turning the EU into a NATO-like military bloc. He claimed that Western calls for a ceasefire are aimed at buying time for Kyiv, and that Europe is spending budget money on defense despite domestic problems. Lavrov also alleged that the EU is preparing special observers to secretly monitor Russian State Duma elections, and that Europe is helping Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky create a 'pantheon of Nazis.' He further recalled President Vladimir Putin's warning that if Europe attacks Russia, the war would be 'short,' and said Trump's Ukraine plans 'scared Europeans to death.'