Lavrov: Russia Has No Plans to Attack Europe, Warns of Decisive Retaliation if Targeted

By Staff, Agencies

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Moscow has no intention of launching a military attack on Europe, while warning that any aggression against Russia would trigger a powerful and comprehensive response.

Speaking in an interview with NTV aired on Sunday, Lavrov dismissed claims by European officials suggesting that Russia is preparing for war with European countries. He stressed that Moscow has no motive or interest in initiating such a conflict.

“We have no intention of attacking Europe,” Lavrov said, adding that “there is no reason to do so.”

The Russian foreign minister made clear, however, that Moscow would respond forcefully if attacked. He stated that Russia would only take military action against Europe in the event that European states initiated hostilities.

“If Europe acts on its threats to prepare for war against us and launches an attack on the Russian Federation, it will face a full-scale military response from our side, using all available military capabilities,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov accused the European Union of undermining efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, arguing that Brussels has erected obstacles to peace rather than facilitating a lasting settlement. He reiterated earlier claims that European leaders are openly preparing for confrontation with Russia.

In a separate interview with TASS in late December, Lavrov said that European officials were no longer concealing their preparations for war, placing responsibility on EU leaders for sustaining the conflict by continuing to arm and finance Kiev.

He described what he called a “European war party” that has invested its political credibility in delivering a strategic defeat to Russia. According to Lavrov, nearly all European countries, with only a few exceptions, have supplied the Kiev authorities with extensive financial aid and military equipment.

Lavrov also accused EU leaders of attempting to sabotage a US-brokered peace initiative on Ukraine launched by US President Donald Trump, arguing that European capitals were resisting any settlement that did not align with their confrontation-driven agenda.

Russia launched what it describes as a “special military operation” in the Donbass region in February 2022, stating that its objectives were to protect Russian-speaking populations, demilitarize Ukraine, and eliminate extremist elements.

European officials, meanwhile, have defended increased military spending by citing the need to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank against alleged Russian expansion. In December, General Carsten Breuer, Germany’s top military commander, warned that the country must be prepared for a possible war with Russia by 2029.

Moscow has repeatedly rejected such warnings, characterizing them as alarmist rhetoric aimed at justifying militarization and escalating tensions across Europe.