As new tensions rise between Russia and NATO powers, Moscow’s high diplomat insisted to world leaders Saturday that his nation doesn’t intend to assault Europe however will mount a “decisive response” to any aggression.
Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke on the U.N. Basic Meeting after weeks through which unauthorized flights into NATO’s airspace — intrusions the alliance blames on Russia — have raised alarm round Europe, significantly after NATO jets downed drones over Poland and Estonia stated Russian fighter jets flew into its territory and lingered for 12 minutes.
Russia has denied that its planes entered Estonian airspace and has stated the drones didn’t goal Poland, with Moscow’s ally Belarus sustaining that Ukrainian signal-jamming despatched the gadgets off track.
However European leaders see the incidents as intentional, provocative strikes meant to rattle NATO and to suss how the alliance will reply. The alliance warned Russia this week that NATO would use all means to defend in opposition to any additional breaches of its airspace.
On the U.N., Lavrov maintained it’s Russia that’s dealing with threats.
“Russia has by no means had and doesn’t have any such intentions” of attacking European or NATO nations, he stated. “Nevertheless, any aggression in opposition to my nation will probably be met with a decisive response. There must be little doubt about this amongst these in NATO and the EU.”
Talking three years into the Ukraine struggle
Lavrov spoke three years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a struggle that the worldwide group has broadly deplored.
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U.S. President Donald Trump stated this week that he believed Ukraine can win again all of the territory it has misplaced to Russia. It was a notable tone shift from a U.S. chief who had beforehand recommended Ukraine would wish to make some concessions and will by no means reclaim all of the areas Russia has occupied since seizing the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and launching a full-scale invasion in 2022.
Simply three weeks earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated his nation and the U.S. had a “mutual understanding” and that Trump’s administration “is listening to us.” Trump and Putin held a summit in Alaska in early August however left with out a deal to finish the struggle.
Sounding a notably open observe from a rustic that has usually lambasted the West, Lavrov famous the summit and stated Russia had “some hopes” to maintain speaking with the USA.
“Within the approaches of the present U.S. administration, we see a want not solely to contribute to methods to realistically resolve the Ukrainian disaster, but additionally a want to develop pragmatic cooperation with out adopting an ideological stance,” the diplomat stated, portraying the powers as counterparts of types: “Russia and the U.S. bear a particular accountability for the state of affairs on the planet, and for avoiding dangers that would plunge humanity into a brand new struggle.”
To make sure, Lavrov nonetheless had sharp phrases for NATO, an alliance that features the U.S., and for the West on the whole and the European Union.
Trump’s rising view of Ukraine is a part of the equation
Trump’s new view of Ukraine’s prospects got here after he met with its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the sidelines of Basic Meeting on Tuesday — seven months after a televised blow-up between the 2 within the Oval Workplace. This time, the doorways have been closed, and the tenor was evidently totally different — “a superb assembly,” as Zelenskyy described it in his meeting speech the subsequent day.
For the fourth 12 months in a row, Zelenskyy appealed to the gathering of presidents, prime ministers and different high officers to get Russia out of his nation — and warned that inaction would put different nations in danger.
“Ukraine is simply the primary,” he stated.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the eightieth session of the United Nations Basic Meeting, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025.
AP Picture/Richard Drew
Russia has supplied varied explanations for the Ukraine struggle, amongst them making certain Russia’s its personal safety after NATO expanded eastward through the years and drew nearer with Ukraine after Russia’s transfer into Crimea. Russia additionally has stated its offensive was meant to guard Russian audio system in japanese Ukraine.
Ukraine and the West have denounced Russia’s invasion as an unprovoked act of aggression.
Addressing the devastating struggle in Gaza, Lavrov condemned Hamas militants’ shock assault in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, however stated “there isn’t a justification” for Israel’s killing of Palestinian civilians, together with kids.
The Hamas assault killed about 1,200 folks in Israel; 251 have been taken hostage. Israel’s sweeping offensive has killed greater than 65,000 Palestinians in Gaza, in response to the Gaza Well being Ministry. It doesn’t give a breakdown of civilian and combatant deaths however says round half of these killed have been girls and kids.
Lavrov additionally stated there isn’t a foundation for any potential Israeli annexation of the West Financial institution, which Palestinians think about a key a part of their future state, together with Gaza and east Jerusalem.
Israel hasn’t introduced such a transfer, however a number of main members in Netanyahu’s authorities have advocated doing so. Officers just lately authorized a controversial settlement mission that may successfully lower the West Financial institution in two, a transfer critics say might doom probabilities for a Palestinian state.
Between the Gaza struggle and the scenario within the West Financial institution, “we’re basically coping with an try at a sort of coup d’etat geared toward burying U.N. choices on the creation of a Palestinian state,” Lavrov stated.
The worldwide group has lengthy embraced a “two-state resolution” to the Israeli-Palestinian battle. However Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the concept of a Palestinian state, saying it will reward Hamas — a place he reiterated Friday on the Basic Meeting.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
