Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned NATO and the EU of retaliation while addressing the UN General Assembly.
Russia Reiterates Negotiation Stance
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke at the UN General Assembly on Friday, stating that Moscow remains open to negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. He emphasized that Russia’s security concerns and vital interests must be addressed, repeating claims about protecting Russians and Russian-speaking populations in Ukrainian territories.
Lavrov added that Russia would agree to security guarantees for Ukraine only if the “rights of Russians and Russian-speaking people in areas under Kiev’s control are restored.” These statements echo Moscow’s justifications for its full-scale invasion, though they lack factual basis.
Warning to NATO and the EU
Lavrov also warned that Russia would “decisively respond to acts of aggression” against it, urging NATO and the EU not to doubt this. He referenced U.S. President Donald Trump’s support for shooting down Russian planes entering NATO airspace and accusations of violating NATO airspace.
Lavrov claimed that Russia is being accused of planning an attack on NATO and the EU, stressing that “Russia does not plan an attack on NATO and the European Union.”
Vacant UN Assembly Hall
Lavrov’s speech was largely ignored, with the assembly hall nearly empty when he began. Footage shared by Clash Report on social media showed only a handful of attendees present. This is not the first time diplomats have walked out during Russian officials’ speeches.
In early 2025, dozens of diplomats left during a Russian representative’s address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where Ukraine was supported. Three years earlier, diplomats from around 40 countries walked out during Lavrov’s speech in Geneva in protest of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
