Russia Accuses US of Abandoning Ukraine Mediation as Trump Backs Kyiv Strikes, Sanctions
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Jun 23
Russia Accuses US of Abandoning Ukraine Mediation as Trump Backs Kyiv Strikes, Sanctions
3 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Jun 23
Summary
Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Washington had ceased acting as an “objective mediator” in the Ukraine war, signaling Moscow’s sharpest public frustration yet with Donald Trump’s latest tilt toward Kyiv.
At last week’s G7 summit, Trump privately praised Ukraine’s long-range strikes inside Russia and agreed to tougher sanctions on Russian energy, according to people briefed on the talks; those attacks have since intensified around Moscow.
US officials also appear less convinced that Russia is winning: Marco Rubio said this month Moscow may never achieve even its current negotiating demands, a marked shift from March intelligence assessments that gave Russia the upper hand.
Kyiv sees openings in that change, with Ukrainian officials cautiously optimistic after talks on Patriot missile licensing and wider weapons support, though they still doubt Trump’s follow-through.
Putin publicly dismissed the strikes as desperate acts and kept backing a stalled US-led peace track, but Lavrov’s remarks suggest Moscow increasingly believes Trump will not deliver the favorable settlement it once hoped for.
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Ukraine Conflict 2026: G7 Military Support, US Mediation Breakdown, and Europe’s Rising Role
Overview
Following the June 2026 G7 summit in France, where leaders—including the US—united in framing Russia as the main problem and pledged strong military support for Ukraine, the conflict has sharply escalated. President Zelenskyy secured new commitments from the G7, including increased air defense and production licenses, while Ukraine began EU membership talks. This shift marks a change in US policy under President Trump, moving from attempted mediation to active support for Ukraine. As peace talks remain stalled due to Russia’s demands and unwillingness to compromise, the G7’s unified stance signals a prolonged conflict with deepening international involvement.