Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov launched a direct attack on European leaders during an interview with American analyst Andrew Napolitano on Russian television’s The Great Game. Lavrov targeted Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, arguing that recent calls from Italy and Finland for an immediate ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine conflict do not reflect a genuine desire for peace. Instead, he claimed they are designed to "buy time" for Kyiv.

"Everyone understands this perfectly, and Volodymyr Zelensky isn't hiding it either," Russia's top diplomat stated. Lavrov maintained that Ukraine's primary goal is to stall for time to urgently acquire Patriot missile systems and air defense equipment crucial for preserving the state. Consequently, Moscow dismissed European overtures toward a truce as a strategic maneuver to rearm Ukrainian forces and prolong the conflict on the ground.