In a speech at the United Nations on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused NATO and the European Union of “abusing” Ukraine and actually waging war against Russia. He emphasized that the West was directly involved in the conflict, which, according to Moscow, had been provoked by the actions of Europe and the US.
He spoke at a meeting of G20 foreign ministers at the United Nations, two days after US President Donald Trump signaled a tougher stance toward Moscow, praised Ukraine's military efforts, and said that NATO allies should shoot down Russian planes that enter their airspace.
Lavrov met with his American counterpart Marco Rubio in New York and is also scheduled to speak before the UN General Assembly on Saturday.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper responded sharply to his words, calling the Russian claims “false distortions of a fantasy world.” She recalled that this was an unprovoked Russian aggression.
According to her, about 20 percent of Ukraine is still occupied by Russian forces—more than three and a half years after the invasion. EU Foreign Affairs Representative Kaja Kallas called for international pressure on the Kremlin and emphasized that Russia's goals had not changed.
(reuters, max)