Lavrov Says NATO Wants Direct War with Russia

(MENAFN) Moscow has accused Western powers of actively gearing up for direct armed confrontation following recent declarations from senior European figures, Sergey Lavrov, the nation's Foreign Minister, warned Tuesday.

During a briefing summarizing Russian diplomatic achievements in 2025, Lavrov cited inflammatory rhetoric from Kaja Kallas, the European Union's foreign policy chief, alongside comments from other high-ranking officials including Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and heads of state from Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. He characterized their posture as openly bellicose, stating: "They are seriously preparing for war against the Russian Federation, and, in fact, are not even hiding it."

Lavrov further alleged that while Moscow seeks to "eliminate the root causes" of the Ukraine crisis, Western nations have spent years "deliberately creating" tensions designed to transform Ukraine into a "threat to Russia's security."

Though Western capitals have moderated public discussion about delivering a "strategic defeat" to Moscow, Lavrov contended the objective remains embedded in their "minds and plans." He cited ongoing military assistance to what he termed the "openly Nazi regime" in Kiev and its campaign for the "legislative and physical extermination of everything Russian."

Moscow has consistently dismissed Western assertions that it threatens neighboring states, labeling such claims as "nonsense" designed to legitimize bloated defense spending throughout Europe.

Despite Russian denials, Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia have amplified security concerns and recently abandoned international agreements prohibiting anti-personnel landmines, unveiling intentions to manufacture and position them along Russian frontiers.
 

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