Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said European proposals to deploy troops in Ukraine after a settlement would amount to “foreign intervention"

Moscow threw Donald Trump’s Ukraine peace plan into turmoil on Thursday, declaring it must have a veto over any postwar aid to Kyiv, even as Russian forces unleashed a massive overnight missile assault.

Delivering a series of uncompromising statements, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, warned that European ideas to station troops in Ukraine after a settlement would amount to “foreign intervention,” which he said was entirely unacceptable to Moscow.

Lavrov argued that negotiations should return to the framework first floated during peace talks in Istanbul in 2022, under which Russia and China would serve as guarantors of Ukraine’s security along with certain European states – a proposal Kyiv has firmly rejected.

“We back the principles and security guarantees that were set out … in April 2022,” Lavrov said. “Anything beyond that is, of course, a completely pointless exercise.”

European governments are weighing security assurances for Ukraine once the war ends, building on Trump’s pledge to support Kyiv under any eventual deal with Moscow. France, Britain and Estonia have suggested they could send troops in a postwar scenario, while others said they might participate depending heavily on Washington’s role.

Lavrov’s remarks cast a shadow over the likelihood of renewed peace negotiations.

Following Trump’s recent summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, US officials had indicated that the Russian leader was open to western security guarantees for Ukraine. But Moscow’s latest stance raises doubts about whether the Kremlin is walking back that position – or whether Washington misunderstood its intentions from the start.

On Thursday, Trump appeared visibly frustrated with Russia’s pushback. Posting on Truth Social, the US president lashed out at his predecessor Joe Biden, accusing him of preventing Ukraine from striking back against Moscow.

“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country. It’s like a top sports team with a great defense but forbidden to go on offense – there is no way to win! That’s how it is with Ukraine and Russia. Crooked, grossly incompetent Joe Biden refused to let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? … Interesting times ahead!!!” Trump wrote.

Trump’s sharper tone toward Moscow will be welcomed in Kyiv and across Europe, though the US president has previously stepped back from harsher measures such as new sanctions or expanded military aid.