Sergey Lavrov Tells UN, NATO and EU Have Declared War on Russia
Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov claimed on September 25 that NATO and the European Union are using Ukraine to fight a «real war» against his country, remarks Britain dismissed as delusional distortions.
Speaking at a G20 meeting of foreign ministers inside the United Nations, Lavrov said the West had provoked the crisis and was now directly engaged in conflict with Moscow. His intervention came two days after US President Donald Trump voiced stronger support for Ukraine, praising its resilience and suggesting NATO allies should shoot down Russian aircraft if they breach their airspace.
Tensions have heightened along Europe’s eastern border in recent days. Estonia accused Moscow of sending three fighter jets into its skies, just a week after NATO warplanes downed Russian drones over Poland.
Lavrov, who has been Russia’s top diplomat for over 20 years, reiterated Moscow’s longstanding view that Western actions triggered the war, ignoring Trump’s fresh comments on the conflict. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022 and has dragged on for more than three and a half years.
Britain Condemns Russia’s Narrative
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper openly challenged Lavrov, condemning Russia’s «unprovoked war of aggression.» She accused him of spreading misinformation and «false fantasy world distortions» to justify Moscow’s actions.
Russian troops still control around a fifth of Ukraine, and fighting in the east remains intense. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged world powers to increase pressure on the Kremlin, warning there was no evidence that Moscow had abandoned its goal of subjugating Ukraine.
Ukraine and several European leaders have welcomed Trump’s tougher tone this week, after he mocked Russia’s slow battlefield progress and suggested Kyiv could reclaim occupied land. Yet some diplomats cautioned that his words might signal a US retreat, leaving Europe to shoulder most of the burden of supporting Ukraine.
While Trump has not announced sweeping new sanctions against Russia, he has imposed tariffs on Indian goods in response to New Delhi’s imports of Russian oil and hinted at possible measures targeting China.
Addressing reporters in Washington on September 25, Trump said Russia was performing poorly in the war and voiced disappointment in President Vladimir Putin’s leadership.
Lavrov met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on September 24 and is scheduled to deliver a wider address to the UN General Assembly on September 27.
Kursiv also reports that US President Donald Trump said on he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.
