At the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Saturday, Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister sought to dispel fears of an imminent Russian assault on Europe while warning that Moscow would not hesitate to respond to any act of aggression.
“Russia has never had and does not have such intentions,” Lavrov said, referring to suggestions that Moscow could launch strikes on Nato or European Union member states. “But any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response.”
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The veteran diplomat’s comments came against a backdrop of heightened tension in Europe, where several countries have accused Russia of testing their defences. Poland says Russian drones crossed its airspace earlier this month, while Estonia alleges that Russian fighter jets have made unauthorised incursions. In Denmark, rogue drones near airports forced temporary shutdowns, though Copenhagen admitted there was no proof of Russian involvement. Moscow has denied responsibility in each case.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, has framed the incidents as deliberate provocations. Writing on X, he argued that Moscow was trying to erode public confidence in Nato defences so that European societies would question the value of supporting Kyiv, particularly with another winter looming.
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Lavrov dismissed such claims as scaremongering. “Russia is being accused of almost planning to attack Nato and EU countries. President Putin has repeatedly debunked these provocations,” he told delegates, accusing Western governments of exaggerating the risks of a “Third World War.”
The Russian foreign minister also used his speech to criticise Israel, condemning the killing of civilians in Gaza and warning against annexation plans in the West Bank. While reiterating Russia’s condemnation of Hamas’s October 7 2023 attacks, he said there was “no justification” for what he described as the “brutal killings” of Palestinians.
Turning to relations with Washington, Lavrov struck a cautiously hopeful tone. Despite sharp divisions over Ukraine, he said Russia retained “some hopes” for dialogue with the United States. He cited recent contacts, including a summit in Alaska, as signs that the Trump administration might be open to what he called a “realistic resolution” of the war.
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That optimism contrasts with US president Donald Trump’s comments earlier in the week, when he told Zelenskyy that Ukraine could still recapture all the territory Russia has occupied since 2014. The remarks marked a tougher line than previous statements, in which Trump had suggested Kyiv might have to make concessions.
For now, the gap between Moscow and Kyiv remains wide. Both sides on Saturday blamed each other for a four-day blackout at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the longest since the conflict began.
Lavrov insisted Russia and the United States bore a “special responsibility” to prevent global instability. Yet his warning of a “decisive response” underlined the risks still hanging over Europe, where suspicion of Moscow runs deep and nervous governments remain on alert for the next drone or jet to cross their skies.
