Tensions Rise as Europe Considers Long-Range Strikes in Russia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has responded to comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, indicating that European powers may have long decided to permit Ukraine to carry out long-range strikes into Russia using Western-supplied arms.

The chancellor's remarks highlight a potential shift in the geopolitical landscape, implying that the constraints on these weapons by nations such as Britain, France, Germany, and the United States are no longer in place.

Lavrov also touched upon U.S. President Donald Trump's recent comments on Russia, suggesting that Trump's emotional response reflects frustration over perceived European impediments to his peace efforts in the Ukraine conflict.

(With inputs from agencies.)