Lavrov urges Washington to avoid steps that could escalate Ukraine war

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said he hoped the United States would refrain from taking any steps that could escalate the conflict in Ukraine, stressing that President Donald Trump had long advocated direct dialogue with Moscow. In an interview originally given to Italy’s Corriere della Sera and later published by Russia’s state news agency TASS, Lavrov said Trump had sought to “fully understand the Russian position on Ukraine” and had “demonstrated a commitment to finding a sustainable peaceful solution.”