Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has dismissed the European Union as a suitable negotiating partner for ending the war in Ukraine.
In an article published online by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov said the real objective of European leaders was not to negotiate with Russia.
"It is to shore up the [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky regime and preserve it as a launchpad for continued confrontation against Russia," he wrote.
An EU official has confirmed that there had been brief diplomatic contacts in recent weeks aimed at establishing communication channels with Moscow, but said no substantive talks had taken place.
In his article, Lavrov said "united Europe continues to dream of expansion," particularly by NATO and the European Union, towards Russia's borders.
Dialogue with Europe could not be conducted as though it were an impartial third-party observer, he said.
Lavrov also warned of potential reciprocal nuclear strikes with "catastrophic consequences" in the event of a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.
Diplomatic relations between Brussels and Moscow have been deeply strained since Russia first occupied parts of Ukraine in 2014 and have been frozen since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
