Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, issued a stern warning to NATO and the European Union, declaring that any hostile actions against Russia would provoke a firm and resolute retaliation.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Saturday, Lavrov emphasized that Moscow harbors no intentions of initiating attacks against Western nations but remains ready to respond decisively if provoked.
These remarks coincided with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attributing recent drone and aircraft violations over European airspace to Russian provocations.
“Russia is probing the defensive capabilities of other countries and attempting to sow doubt among their populations, prompting questions like: ‘If we cannot safeguard ourselves, why continue supporting Ukraine?’ This strategy aims to diminish aid to Ukraine, particularly as winter approaches,” Zelenskyy stated on X.
Moscow has consistently denied allegations of breaching Polish airspace with drones and Estonian airspace with fighter jets this month. It also refutes involvement in the unauthorized drones detected near Danish airports recently, which led to temporary closures.
Prospects for US-Mediated Peace Talks
During his UN address, Lavrov criticized Western narratives that stoke fears of a looming “Third World War,” dismissing such claims as alarmist.
“Russia faces accusations of allegedly planning attacks on NATO and EU members, yet President Putin has consistently rejected these provocations,” Lavrov asserted.
Nonetheless, he expressed cautious optimism about ongoing ceasefire discussions with the United States concerning the conflict in Ukraine, despite recent shifts in US rhetoric. Notably, former President Donald Trump, after meeting Zelenskyy on the UNGA sidelines, suggested Ukraine might reclaim all territories occupied by Russia.
This marked a departure from Trump’s earlier stance, which advocated for Ukrainian concessions and doubted the feasibility of regaining lands seized since 2014.
Despite these changes, Lavrov reaffirmed faith in the US as a potential peace broker.
“We maintain some hope for continued dialogue between Russia and the US, especially following the Alaska summit,” he told the assembly.
Lavrov implied that the Trump administration sought a pragmatic resolution to the Ukrainian crisis.
“Both Russia and the United States carry a unique responsibility for global stability and for preventing dangers that could escalate into a new global conflict,” he added.
Territorial Advances in Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk
Following his UN speech, Russia announced the capture of three additional settlements in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian military reported seizing the villages of Derylove and Maiske in Donetsk, along with Stepove in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces claimed a successful drone strike on an oil pumping station in Russia’s Chuvashia region.
“The Security Service of Ukraine continues to target the Russian oil industry, which finances the aggressor’s war efforts,” a Ukrainian official told Reuters.
Overnight shelling by Russian forces in the southeastern Kherson area resulted in one fatality and 12 injuries, while rail infrastructure in the adjacent Odesa region sustained damage, according to Ukrainian reports.
As Kyiv works to bolster its air defense systems against Russian missile and drone assaults, Zelenskyy announced that a Ukrainian delegation would travel to the United States for arms negotiations in late September or early October.
The Ukrainian president also revealed that Israel had delivered a US-made Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine a month ago, with two additional units expected before year-end.
On Saturday, both Russia and Ukraine accused each other of causing a four-day power outage at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Although such outages have occurred before, this represents the longest disruption since the conflict began.
All six reactors at the plant have been offline since Moscow took control shortly after the full-scale invasion in February 2022. However, continuous power supply remains critical to maintain cooling and safety mechanisms to prevent reactor meltdowns.
