Sergey Lavrov blames U.S. for continued Ukraine conflict

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has blamed the United States and Europe for the continuation of the war in Ukraine. During a roundtable discussion, Lavrov claimed a significant opportunity for peace was lost last year, asserting that had the U.S. not withdrawn from the Anchorage agreements, the conflict might have ended a year ago.

U.S. officials provide a conflicting account of the August 2025 Anchorage summit. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that no agreements regarding Ukraine were reached during the meeting, noting that the summit ended without consensus because Russia's proposal for Ukraine was deemed unacceptable. While Moscow maintains it remains open to negotiations, it emphasized that its primary objectives since the start of the invasion remain unchanged.

Concurrently, the impact of Western sanctions on the Russian economy remains a subject of debate. While the Russian economy has not collapsed, the country faces increasing pressure from Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries and rising consumer prices. As Russia prepares for Duma parliamentary elections in September 2026, the Kremlin is reportedly increasing domestic repression to manage growing public frustration and maintain political control.