UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the West on Saturday that any aggression against Moscow would be met with a “decisive response,” amid escalating tensions along NATO’s eastern flank and ongoing war in Ukraine.
Lavrov, speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, cautioned against attempts to down aircraft in Russian airspace and accused Germany of using “militaristic rhetoric.” He said Russia had never targeted EU or NATO countries with drones or missiles and had no plans to do so.
“Any aggression against my country will be met with a decisive response. There should be no doubt about this among those in NATO and the EU who… are telling their voters that war with Russia is inevitable,” Lavrov said.
The warnings come as Estonia reported that Moscow sent three fighter jets into its airspace, and NATO planes intercepted Russian drones over Poland. U.S. President Donald Trump earlier endorsed shooting down Russian jets violating NATO airspace, while also mocking Russia’s military in Ukraine as a “paper tiger.” Lavrov brushed off Trump’s remarks but said that anyone attempting to down aircraft in Russian airspace “will very much regret undertaking such an egregious violation of our territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
Lavrov also indirectly addressed Ukraine, saying only the “politically blind” would expect Kyiv to regain its pre-invasion borders, responding to Trump’s claim that Ukraine could reclaim all occupied territory. He criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other EU and NATO politicians for raising fears of a potential World War Three.
Despite the firm stance, Lavrov expressed hope for continued dialogue with the United States. He noted that Moscow and Washington will hold a third round of talks in the coming months aimed at improving embassy operations, which have been constrained by years of diplomatic expulsions and restrictions. Lavrov met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the General Assembly earlier this week.
On other international matters, Lavrov said economic relations with India were not under threat, despite U.S. tariffs, and called on India and China to halt purchases of Russian oil. He also voiced concern over U.S. military activity near Venezuela, warning that certain actors might seek a U.N. Security Council mandate to justify operations in the region.
“I cannot rule out that certain creative actors could think of getting a mandate at the Security Council and later say that there are gangs from Haiti harbored in Venezuela. I cannot rule that out,” Lavrov said, referring to a draft resolution proposed by the U.S. and Panama aimed at combating gangs in Haiti.
