Russia Prepares to Fight Europe. . . White House Setting the Stage to Renew Attack on Iran

Russia, based on a recent briefing by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, is taking Europe at its word and is preparing for the possibility of a full-scale war. In an annual “reality check” with Russian NGO leaders in Moscow (April 24, 2026), Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivered his most sobering assessment yet. .. The era of “proxy hybridity” is over—the masks are off.

Responding to European statements that Europe must be prepared to fight Russia in the next 3-5 Year Window, Lavrov stated bluntly that the EU is mobilizing for a direct military confrontation with Russia. In this strategy, Ukraine is being used as a “battering ram” to bleed Russia dry and buy Europe the time it needs to fully rearm its industrial base over the next few years.

The Minister emphasized that without NATO satellite intelligence and Western officers on the ground, Kiev would be paralyzed. This is no longer a “proxy” conflict; it is an open war against Russia. As the world undergoes a “geopolitical break,” Russian civil society is being tasked as a primary “soft power” force via NGOs. MFA promises to support projects in Asia and Africa.

Lavrov said:

“An open war has been declared against us. The Kiev regime is merely the ‘spearhead’ being used to buy them time. They couldn’t be any more obvious.”

Here is the Bottom Line: The Russian diplomatic corps has shifted from a “negotiation” posture to a “mobilization” one. Moscow is signaling that it is preparing for a long-term, high-stakes endurance match with a militarized Europe. This is not an extension of the Special Military Operation… This is preparation for war.

Meanwhile, on the Iran front, the Trump administration is setting the stage to renew its attack on Iran. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Friday that the “Iranians reached out” and requested an “in-person meeting,” so President Trump “dispatched Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to go hear what they have to say.” This is a complete fabrication.

Iran wasted no time in destroying that claim. Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Ismael Baqaei, confirmed in a post on X late on the 24th that NO meeting — I repeat, NO meeting — is planned with US officials. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is in Islamabad to meet with high-level Pakistani officials in order to give them a written document with Iran’s views on recent developments, which will be delivered to Witkoff and Kushner.

I think that Trump is trying to create a narrative to justify renewing the US and Israeli attack on Iran. He is sending his Jewish emissaries to Islamabad ostensibly to meet with Iranian negotiators only to discover that Iran allegedly bailed out. Trump will claim this is an act of bad faith and is going to punish Iran accordingly.

If the following posts on Telegram are true, then the war will be back in its full fury by Sunday night:

China urges its citizens to leave Iran as soon as possible – Chinese Embassy in Tehran

India urges its citizens to leave Iran.

It also appears that Trump gave Bibi permission to trash the ceasefire with Hezbollah, according to another recent Telegram post:

The Israeli Air Force resumed strikes on southern Lebanon, a moratorium on which was part of the ceasefire between the US and Iran.

This could be a long, troubled weekend.

https://larrycjohnson.substack.com/p/russia-prepares-to-fight-europe-white