Russia has accused Sir Keir Starmer and several senior European leaders of preparing for a major military confrontation with Moscow, as tensions continue to rise over the war in Ukraine.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, January 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that European politicians are openly laying the groundwork for war against Russia, pointing to their continued political and military support for Ukraine.
According to Russia’s state-run news agency TASS, Lavrov named UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer alongside a number of prominent European figures, including Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German politician Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Lavrov said their public statements and policy decisions showed they were “seriously preparing for war against the Russian Federation” and that these intentions were being expressed openly.
The comments come amid heightened strain between Russia and NATO allies as the conflict in Ukraine continues. Lavrov’s remarks followed a familiar line from the Kremlin, which has repeatedly portrayed Western governments as hostile actors threatening Russia’s security.
At the press conference, Lavrov placed responsibility for the war firmly on the West, arguing that Western nations had spent years turning Ukraine into a direct threat to Russia. He claimed this was done by attempting to establish a strategic military foothold along Russia’s borders.
He also repeated Moscow’s claim that Ukraine has been governed by what he described as an “openly Nazi regime” since the 2014 Maidan protests, which led to the removal of then-president Viktor Yanukovych.
Lavrov reiterated the Kremlin’s justification for invading Ukraine, once again framing the conflict as a necessary act of “denazification”. He argued that the Ukrainian government formed after Yanukovych’s removal was illegitimate and sustained by Western backing.
According to Lavrov, Ukraine is now pursuing a policy aimed at erasing Russian influence, including restrictions on the Russian language, culture, education and media. He also claimed that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been marginalised under the current administration.
Such claims are part of a long-standing Russian narrative that presents the invasion of Ukraine as a defensive response to Western expansion and what Moscow describes as an increasingly anti-Russian government in Kyiv. The Kremlin has consistently used “denazification” and “demilitarisation” as core justifications for the war.
Lavrov’s comments come as the European Council has approved a €90 billion loan package to support Ukraine’s military and financial needs for 2026 and 2027. The funding will be raised through EU borrowing on capital markets and backed by EU budget reserves, with the aim of providing financial stability as Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russian forces.
However, the agreement has not been unanimously supported. Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have declined to participate in the loan package.
As Western nations continue to provide economic and military assistance to Ukraine, Russia has accused them of escalating the conflict. Lavrov’s latest remarks underline Moscow’s position that the war is no longer just a regional conflict, but part of a wider geopolitical struggle between Russia and the West.
