Russian Delegation Head Says EU, NATO Will 'Squeeze Kiev Regime for Everything It Has'

The head of the Russian delegation to security and arms control negotiations in Vienna, Yulia Zhdanova, said the European Union and NATO intend to "squeeze the Kiev regime for everything it has," according to TASS.

Zhdanova argued that Western institutions are primarily interested in extracting lessons and experience from high-intensity combat in Ukraine, framing continued Western support for Kyiv as driven by strategic and military learning objectives rather than solidarity alone. The remarks were made in the context of ongoing talks in Vienna focused on military security and arms control issues in Europe.

The comments reflect a position Russian officials have voiced repeatedly throughout the war, portraying Western support for Ukraine as self-interested rather than principled, and suggesting that the conflict is being used by NATO members to refine military doctrine and technology based on real-world combat outcomes.

Western officials have generally described their support for Ukraine differently, framing assistance as aimed at helping Kyiv defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. NATO and EU officials have not directly responded to Zhdanova's specific characterization of their motives.

The Vienna talks are part of a broader, long-running series of discussions on European security architecture and arms control that predate the current war but have taken on added significance since 2022. Russia has used such forums to repeat its position that NATO expansion and Western military involvement in the region bear responsibility for escalating tensions.

No agreement or further details on the substance of the Vienna talks beyond Zhdanova's remarks were reported.