U.S. President Donald Trump’s stance on achieving lasting peace in Ukraine has undergone a “radical” shift due to European influence since his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Sunday.

In an interview with the Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang, Lavrov reminded viewers of Trump’s commitment after the August summit in Alaska to strive for a “long-term” peace rather than a mere short-term ceasefire. This month, Trump withdrew from a scheduled follow-up meeting with Putin in Budapest and encouraged both Kyiv and Moscow to “reach an agreement.”

“When people now advocate for ‘nothing but a ceasefire, an immediate ceasefire, and then history will assess,’ it represents a significant change,” Lavrov remarked in the interview, released in full on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.

Lavrov accused European “hawks” and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of applying “immense, unbelievable pressure” on Washington to hinder any cooperative efforts between the U.S. and Russia, reiterating the Kremlin’s assertion that Kyiv’s European partners are obstructing peace initiatives.

“The Europeans are relentless; they don’t rest or eat, attempting to force this administration’s hand,” he stated.

When asked about the prospects of another Trump-Putin meeting, Lavrov replied, “It’s up to those who initiated the process.”

He added that Washington had not suggested “any new meetings or discussions” with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio since their phone call the previous Monday.

“I did not bring this matter up since the entire initiative was initiated by the United States. We’re ready to progress as the Americans feel it is appropriate,” Lavrov said, speaking in English.

The report also included contributions from AFP.