Lavrov accuses Europe of provoking war against Russia

(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Western European leaders of ignoring historical lessons and pushing the continent toward a direct military clash with Russia. Speaking at a press conference after ASEAN events on Friday, Lavrov singled out Berlin, Paris, and London for adopting increasingly hostile policies and rhetoric toward Moscow.

He referenced a public exchange involving French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who was questioned about France’s continued support for what Lavrov called the “Nazi regime in Kiev.” The Russian official dismissed Barrot’s vehement defense of France’s position—claiming to uphold “the territorial integrity of Ukraine”—as insincere and “hysterical.”

Lavrov argued that Europe has forgotten the hard-won conclusions from history and is effectively preparing for a full-scale war against Russia, not a limited or hybrid conflict. He asserted that Ukraine’s efforts to reclaim territory are aimed at “suppressing the rights of the Russian and Russian-speaking population and physically eliminating those who oppose” the current regime, labeling claims that territorial integrity is the sole objective as “self-incrimination.”

Moscow has long expressed concern about the revival of Nazi ideology and the marginalization of Russian culture in Ukraine, identifying the “denazification” of the country as a central justification for its military actions.

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