Lavrov Warns German Drone Accusations Mark Beginning of Real War
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov escalated rhetoric against the West over Leipzig drone allegations, as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner visit Kyiv and Moscow to mediate peace talks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sharply escalated his rhetoric against Western nations following accusations that Moscow was behind an attempted drone attack at Leipzig Airport in Germany. Lavrov claimed that Western allegations of Russian involvement in the incident represent, "broadly speaking, the beginning of a real war," according to the Russian news agency TASS.
The threat comes after Germany accused Russia last week of responsibility for the attempted attack, in which a drone carrying explosives was located near an Ukrainian aircraft. Russia has rejected the claims.
Diplomatic Push by US Envoys
The harsh statement coincides with accelerating diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine. US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv today to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, following a meeting in Moscow yesterday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. This marks the first visit of the two senior mediators representing US President Donald Trump to the Ukrainian capital as part of negotiations to end the conflict.
The meeting with Putin lasted over three hours and was held behind closed doors. The White House stated that the parties discussed "substantive plans for next steps," with further details expected to be released in the coming weeks. Putin's advisor, Yuri Ushakov, described the talks as "constructive and exceptionally frank," though no major breakthrough was reported. According to Ushakov, the discussions covered not only the war in Ukraine but also economic issues and potential projects between Russia and the United States.
Kyiv's Stance and Temporary Truce
Ahead of the meeting in Kyiv, Zelensky stated that he and his team are "ready for talks" and wish to "bring the end of the war closer." He emphasized that the negotiations must focus on achieving peace and security guarantees for Ukraine, conducted in a "coordinated, substantive, and realistic manner."
In connection with the visit of the American mediators, Putin and Zelensky agreed to avoid strikes on the capitals of both countries for a period of three days.
