Russia Already at War with U.S., 'Collective West': Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the "collective West," led by the U.S., of declaring war on Russia in 2014, framing the Kremlin's ongoing invasion of Ukraine as one part of a wider conflict.

In a wide-ranging interview with Russia's Channel One, broadcast on Wednesday, Lavrov claimed Russia is a victim of long-term Western aggression.

"The collective West, which is headed by a nuclear power—the United States—is at war with us," Lavrov told Channel One, as reported by the state-run Tass news agency.

"This war was declared on us quite a long time ago, after the coup d'etat in Ukraine that was orchestrated by the United States and, in fact, backed by the European Union," Lavrov said, referring to the Maidan Revolution of 2014; a popular uprising that unseated pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych.

Moscow claims the uprising—in which more than 100 anti-government protesters were killed—was a coup planned and executed by U.S. and European intelligence agencies.

Yanukovych was forced from office by a broad coalition of political and activist groups after he unexpectedly abandoned a political association and free trade agreement with the European Union in favor of closer ties with Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Yanukovych eventually fled Ukraine and took refuge in Russia. The former president was touted as a possible Moscow-backed figure to lead a puppet regime in Kyiv if Russia's February invasion had been successful.

Soon after Yanukovych's ousting, Russian forces occupied Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and portions of the eastern Donbas region, sparking a protracted conflict that laid the foundations for Moscow's February invasion. The Kremlin has tried to frame the conflict as a defensive war against NATO.

A State Department spokesperson told Newsweek: "The United States is not now—nor has it been—at war with Russia. We've been doing exactly what President Biden told President Putin we would do one year ago if Russia attacked Ukraine: providing security assistance to help Ukraine defend itself."

There appears to be little hope for a ceasefire or peace deal after 10 months of fighting. The tempo of combat has slowed as a result of muddy conditions, though fierce clashes continue around the eastern city of Bakhmut, while Ukrainian troops are reportedly still slowly advancing around the city of Kreminna.

January will likely bring frozen ground across the front, allowing both sides to launch fresh mechanized offensives.

Both Kyiv and Moscow say they are open to new peace talks but a lack of trust and wildly different understandings of the military situation mean these discussions are unlikely.

Lavrov blamed the U.S. for the lack of progress.

"Now everyone is talking again about the need for talks, but they immediately accuse us of refusing to negotiate, although [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has repeatedly said that there are no serious proposals," Lavrov said.

"The example of the Istanbul meeting showed clearly that even that time the U.S. told Kyiv to hold back: 'Not yet. You have not exhausted Russia to the degree that we, the Americans, find sufficient,'" he added, referring to the last round of talks held in Turkey.

In response, the State Department spokesperson told Newsweek that the U.S. and Ukraine "share the same vision—that of a free, independent, prosperous, and secure Ukraine."

"President Biden and President Zelensky discussed an end to the war. As President Biden stated, it is up to President Zelensky to decide how he wants the war to end. We also both want this war to end, and Putin could end this war today. Regrettably, Putin is showing no signs of being interested in serious talks or of ending this war."

"We will continue to help Ukraine succeed on the battlefield so that if and when President Zelensky is ready to talk with Russia, he can succeed in that as well."

Russia is demanding recognition of its claimed annexation of four partially-occupied Ukrainian regions—Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia. The Kremlin insists it is set on the "de-Nazification" and demilitarization of Ukraine.

Kyiv, meanwhile, is demanding that all Russian troops return to their pre-February 24 positions before any new talks can be held. Then, Ukraine wants the full liberation of all territory per its 1991 borders, reparations, the prosecution of Russian leaders, and lasting security guarantees.

Lavrov told RIA Novosti on Thursday that Russia would not enter into negotiations with Ukraine on the status of its occupied territories, nor on reparations for war damage.

12/30/22 4:15 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to include comment from the State Department.