MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. European politicians have now changed their rhetoric, realizing the futility of their plans to defeat Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the RT television channel.

"Over the past month and a half, many European politicians have spoken about relations with Russia. Until recently, they were all in unison demanding firmness in support for and arms supplies to Ukraine, and funding it so that Russia would suffer a 'strategic defeat' on the battlefield," Lavrov said. "Then, when they realized it was all illusions, they changed their rhetoric," he continued. "Their 'planners,' military officials, prepared this operation, trained Ukrainians to use their hands and bodies to advance European interests in the war with Russia. But they realized that all these plans have failed."

Earlier, Lavrov stated that, in order to restore relations with Russia, EU countries must "come to their senses" and abandon the ideology of Russophobia and hostile actions.