The office of European Council President Antonio Costa established limited diplomatic contacts with the Kremlin in recent weeks to support negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin did not respond to requests for comment on these contacts. Politico Europe refused to publish an article by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to Gdelt. The article, as reported by Gdelt, was to outline Moscow's view of the Ukrainian conflict, Europe's role in escalating the crisis, and the broader implications for global security. According to Gdelt, Lavrov accused European leaders of using diplomacy as a cover for NATO and EU expansion, argued that the West has sought to turn Ukraine into an anti-Russian foothold, and warned that the EU's growing militarization, including discussions about nuclear capabilities, poses a threat to global security.