Lavrov at U.N. warns of decisive response to aggression as NATO tensions flare
Russia says it does not seek to attack Europe but will respond decisively to any aggression, as airspace incidents and Western warnings heighten tensions
UNITED NATIONS — Russia's foreign minister told the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday that Moscow does not intend to attack Europe but will mount a decisive response to any aggression. Sergey Lavrov framed Moscow as defending itself against what he described as concrete threats, hours after a spate of airspace incidents that NATO and European capitals say were connected to Russia. He cited unauthorized flights into alliance airspace that spurred near-daily warnings, including downed drones near Poland and reports that Russian fighters lingered inside Estonian airspace for about 12 minutes. Belarus has affirmed that Ukrainian signal interference helped steer the drones off course, a claim Kyiv and its Western allies reject. European leaders have warned Russia that NATO would use all means to defend its airspace if breaches continue.
Lavrov told the General Assembly that Russia has 'never had and does not have any such intentions' of attacking European or NATO countries. He added that 'any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response' and urged NATO and the European Union to exercise restraint. The statement comes three years into Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, a war that has drawn broad international condemnation. In recent weeks, U.S. and allied officials have argued that Russia could escalate, while Moscow has sought to present itself as a defensive power facing growing threats from the West.
Trump's comment at the Assembly week: he said Ukraine can win back all the territory it has lost to Russia, a notable reversal from earlier hints of concessions. Trump appeared open to a more assertive Ukrainian posture, following a private meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the gathering. Zelenskyy later characterized the discussion as a productive meeting and used his own remarks to press for stronger Western support and continued pressure on Moscow.
During his remarks, Lavrov also suggested that the United States under the current administration is willing to pursue pragmatic cooperation on Ukraine without ideological rigidity, saying 'Russia and the U.S. bear a special responsibility for the state of the world, and for avoiding risks that could plunge humanity into a new war.' He noted a recent summit between Putin and Trump, held in Alaska earlier this year, and said Moscow held 'some hopes' of maintaining dialogue with Washington.
On the Gaza conflict, Lavrov condemned Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel but said there is 'no justification' for the killing of Palestinian civilians. He also argued against a possible Israeli annexation of the West Bank and warned that the West Bank's future status remains a key issue for a two-state solution long supported by the international community. Netanyahu's government has been debating proposals that would effectively partition the West Bank, a move critics say would undermine a Palestinian state.
Lavrov tied the current Gaza and West Bank debate to a broader effort to 'bury UN decisions on the creation of a Palestinian state,' warning that attempts to alter internationally recognized outlines will be met with stiff resistance. The two-state framework has long been the bedrock of international diplomacy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but Netanyahu has signaled resistance to that path despite international pressure.
Beyond Ukraine, Lavrov underscored that Moscow is pursuing channels with Washington as it navigates a 'special' but fraught relationship and urged the United States to recognize shared responsibilities. He did not provide details of new deals, but described a continuing conversation with U.S. officials as a sign of cautious pragmatism amid an era of rising geopolitical risk.
Analysts noted that Lavrov used the platform to deliver Russia's counter-narrative at a moment of heightened tension over the border incidents and Western responses. The United Nations has long been a stage for Moscow to present itself as a defender of its security interests while portraying Western actions as destabilizing. The exchange comes as the war in Ukraine nears its third anniversary, and as Western capitals weigh potential responses to any further airspace breaches or military moves near Europe.