(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Western European leaders of repeating the mistakes of history and leading Europe toward a direct military conflict with Russia. Speaking after ASEAN-related meetings on Friday, Lavrov pointed to aggressive rhetoric and actions from Berlin, Paris, and London as signs of escalating hostility.

He criticized French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot’s emotional defense of support for Ukraine, dismissing claims of defending Ukraine’s territorial integrity as insincere. Lavrov argued that Kiev’s efforts are not about sovereignty, but about silencing Russian-speaking populations and eliminating political dissent.

“Their words betray their true intentions,” Lavrov said, claiming that European governments are not preparing for a hybrid conflict, but an actual war against Russia.

He also took aim at German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who recently declared that Germany must become Europe’s top military power again. Lavrov called the statement “absurd,” and warned that such militarization risks repeating the devastation of past wars.

Russia continues to advocate for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, but the Kremlin claims Kiev refuses to participate in new rounds of talks. Moscow has long denounced what it calls the “Nazi revival” in Ukraine and listed “denazification” as a key reason for its military operation.

Lavrov warned that Europe’s increasing militarization, driven largely by NATO and the EU, will now be factored into Russia’s strategic defense planning.

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