(MENAFN) Western leaders are deliberately portraying Russia as a major threat in order to divert public attention from their own internal economic and social crises, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Hungary’s Magyar Nemzet on Monday.

Lavrov dismissed recent claims by Western intelligence services suggesting that Moscow intends to attack or occupy Europe. “Perhaps those making these accusations know more about Russia’s plans than we do — we certainly have no such intentions,” he remarked sarcastically.

Lavrov said he agrees with analysts who believe that political elites in Europe and North America are manufacturing the image of Russia as an enemy to unite populations weary of ongoing economic and social hardships. He accused Western governments of deliberately “demonizing” Russia through media manipulation, portraying Moscow as driven by supposed “imperial ambitions.”

According to Lavrov, the real goal behind this narrative is to distract from problems like inflation, unemployment, declining living standards, illegal immigration, and rising crime.

He also criticized the European Union, saying it has effectively become a “military-political bloc” and a mere extension of NATO, a shift he warned could have dangerous and far-reaching consequences for the entire continent.

Lavrov’s comments followed the recent NATO summit in The Hague, where alliance leaders committed to increasing defense spending to at least 5% of GDP, a policy long pushed by former US President Donald Trump. NATO also reaffirmed its continued support for Ukraine. Moscow, meanwhile, has consistently argued that Western arms deliveries to Kiev will only prolong the conflict without altering its eventual outcome.

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