Russia (Washington Insider) - Russian FM Sergey Lavrov criticised EU leaders over China-India ties with Moscow, reaffirmed Ukraine peace talks with the US, mentioned Macron-Putin dialogue, and discussed Egypt-Russia projects with Abdelatty.
As Burc Eruygur on AA Europe News reported, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday, Dec 19, 2025, criticised European Union leaders for their remarks against China and India over continued contacts with Moscow.
He described the comments as rude and lacking diplomatic respect. Lavrov spoke during a joint press conference with Egypt’s foreign minister. He told European leaders not to interfere in talks between Russia and the United States on the Ukraine conflict.
"Those current so-called leaders in the EU who publicly state why China communicates with Russia, or why India communicates with Russia--these are rude, ill-mannered people,"
Lavrov said during a joint press conference with Bad Abdelatty following bilateral talks in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
Advising Europe
"not to interfere"
in the dialogue between Russia and the US concerning Ukraine, Lavrov said Moscow's position on a Ukraine settlement is not subject to any
"opportunistic considerations or fluctuations."
What is Lavrov saying about the Ukraine talks and the Macron-Putin dialogue?
Lavrov said Russia’s position on a possible settlement is firm and does not change due to political pressure. He added that dialogue with Washington is based on a clear understanding reached during a summit in Alaska in August.
"We see no reason why the US administration would deviate from this agreed-upon position. Especially since these understandings are directly based on the proposals of (US President) Donald Trump and his negotiating team,"
he further said.
According to Lavrov, many countries outside the Western bloc are following these talks closely and hope they will lead to progress toward ending the conflict.
"In this work with the Americans, we feel the support of the global majority,"
he went on to say, adding that Moscow appreciates that the agreements reached in Alaska
"remain in force."
The comments came as diplomatic activity around Ukraine increased. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday, Dec 18, 2025, that new talks with American officials would take place in the United States on Friday, Dec 19, 2025, and Saturday, Dec 20, 2025.
Later, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Moscow is preparing further contacts with Washington. He said discussions on a revised peace plan have been ongoing for the past 2 weeks.
Peskov noted that Russia remains involved in shaping proposals linked to a political solution. The statements point to a new phase of diplomacy, with Russia maintaining firm rhetoric toward Europe while continuing cautious engagement with the United States and Ukraine.
Discussions on a possible solution to the Ukraine conflict were based on a draft 28-point proposal. The plan reportedly asked Ukraine to make major concessions. These included recognising Russian control over some territories, limiting its military forces, and agreeing not to join NATO.
"I think that we, Europeans and Ukrainians, have a vested interest in finding a framework to properly re-engage in this discussion. Otherwise, we'll be talking amongst ourselves with negotiators who will then deal with the Russians alone. That's not ideal,"
Lavrov said.
"If he (Macron) is ready to talk, then our president has repeatedly emphasised that he is always open to contact, but with the understanding that these will be polite people with some basic decency,"
he added.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference that President Vladimir Putin is ready to talk directly with French President Emmanuel Macron. His remarks followed Macron’s comments after an EU summit in Brussels, where the French leader said it may become useful again to speak with Putin.
Lavrov also spoke about his meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. He said they discussed many bilateral and regional issues. These included expanding direct flights, creating stable food and fuel supply chains, and reviewing the situation in Sudan and Libya.
Abdelatty said Egypt and Russia aim to speed up major joint projects, including the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant and an industrial zone in the Suez Canal region. He added that relations between the 2 countries have grown strongly in recent years.
"Regarding the Ukrainian crisis ... Egypt is ready to continue to contribute to any international efforts to bring the parties' positions closer together and support the political path to achieving peace,"
he added.
The latest diplomatic moves come as efforts to end the Ukraine war continue more than 3 years after Russia launched its full‑scale invasion on February 24, 2022. Talks between Moscow, Kyiv and Western countries have been held in places such as Istanbul, Paris and Geneva, but none have produced a lasting deal.
After 3 years of intermittent warfare between Ukraine and Russia, diplomatic activity continues to develop to achieve peace. Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, and since then, several rounds of negotiations have taken place between Moscow, Kyiv, and their Western partners in various locations (Istanbul, Paris, and Geneva). However, each effort at negotiation has thus far fallen short of reaching an agreement that could serve as a basis for future relations.