MOSCOW

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that while US President Donald Trump's desire to end conflicts is commendable, achieving a lasting peace requires more thorough and patient initiatives.

In an interview with the public organization Franco-Russian Dialogue in Moscow, Lavrov declined to comment on Trump's specific peace plan for Ukraine, citing the contradictory reactions from Kyiv.

"It is difficult for me to comment on such speculations. We remain in a position where, of course, a diplomatic settlement is preferable," he said.

Lavrov argued that US foreign policy aims to impose its will globally.

"Now we are all witnessing something approaching chaos in international trade and investment," he said.

The minister noted that while Trump has "ended" eight wars, claiming that the solutions only suspended hostilities without addressing their root causes.

"The desire to immediately stop the bloodshed deserves every encouragement. But in order to resolve this in the long term, much more painstaking, patient, and non-fussy initiatives are needed," Lavrov stressed.

He also questioned the consistency of Europe's stance toward Russia, asking how it can simultaneously portray Russia as weak and fear a potential attack.

"How can you fear us, if in your opinion we cannot defeat even Ukraine, and Europe has several times bigger population than Russia?"

About the France-Ukraine agreement on the delivery of 100 Rafale fighter jets to Kyiv, Lavrov recalled that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a 100-year agreement with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"I think he likes the number 100," he said.

Regarding French President Emmanuel Macron's remarks on potentially joining BRICS, Lavrov expressed skepticism about a consensus among members.

"I don't think there is a consensus in the BRICS or that even the majority of the BRICS members will be happy to see France with the positions it occupies in the global economy, politics, and finance," he said.