Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: “If you acknowledge that European weapons are being used to attack us, and we shoot them down,.. I have no doubt, though, that this is a war that Europe is waging against us”

Photo: MFA

Press availability with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov following the 23rd meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

Moscow Region, September 29, 2026

Question: Germany’s Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul said he went to this meeting driven solely by the desire not to be left out of the ongoing talks and to make sure the United States does not have a monopoly on this issue. So what is Germany pushing for? Are they genuinely interested in negotiations, or are they just going through the motions? What could help get our relations with Berlin moving again at this juncture?

Sergey Lavrov: I commented on this in detail at a news conference in New York. It is difficult to tell what Germany is trying to achieve.

I think one obvious explanation is they do not want to miss the train. They believe that the train has already left the station. I’m not sure this actually is the case. It’s difficult to tell if they have the Ukraine crisis in mind.

The Ukraine crisis comes hand in hand with an overwhelming number of pan-European problems, such as militarisation of the European Union; the unrelenting incantations that NATO will expand and take in the Ukrainian regime; that Russia is an eternal enemy; and that “we will be at war three years from now.” If such incantations are made publicly, and the goal is, as Johann Wadephul himself made it clear, is simply to repeat them behind closed doors, without the press, for Russia to realise that this where they really stand, then it is a futile, and, I would even say, harmful, thing to do. Sadly, such EU and NATO figures have essentially taken on the role of mouthpieces for these European manoeuvres.

Question: A few days back, the Foreign Ministry announced new contacts with the United States seeking to remove irritants in bilateral relations. Have these contacts effectively taken place, which particular irritants are on the agenda and, in particular, are there any realistic prospects for getting our diplomatic property back?

Sergey Lavrov: The contacts have not yet taken place. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and I agreed that they would soon. The experts need to agree on the specific dates and the venue.

The issue is about our diplomatic missions operating in the United States and the American ones operating in the Russian Federation. There are many issues to discuss, including, of course, diplomatic property. We haven’t heard any reassuring comments on this matter from the American side under the Trump administration.

Question: You said the circumstances will make the United States think in terms of multilateralism. So far, what we’ve seen is that the key players - the United States, Iran, Israel, and the Gulf monarchies - are stuck in a zero-sum game approach in Eurasia and the Middle East. Do you see any prospects at all for creating a new security system in these regions? Is Russia willing to guarantee the balance of interests, if everyone else continues to stick to an all-or-nothing approach?

Sergey Lavrov: I argued that the circumstances will force them to do so. But circumstances are only just beginning to unfold. Be patient. President Vladimir Putin and I have repeatedly set out our proposals on how to build international relations. We advocate a candid and equal dialogue and taking everyone’s interests into account.

The US policy is marked by an effort to advance its unilateral interests. However, the United States is compelled to engage with countries such as the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China. In the course of these contacts, the sides discuss steps that will serve the interests of both sides. This is precisely what I meant when I said “the circumstances will force them to do so.”

Question: Poland is planning to accommodate the production of Patriot missiles on its territory. Where is the line in the European countries’ involvement in the Ukraine conflict drawn beyond which Russia will have to respond militarily?

Sergey Lavrov: We have the military doctrine to address this matter. President Putin has cited it repeatedly. I urge you to study carefully the relevant sections of this critically important document.

Question: Mr Lavrov, may I?

Sergey Lavrov: Is it a friendly question?

Question: It’s just another journalistic question. We hear Russia and the West accuse each other. The West is increasingly accusing Russia of waging hybrid warfare against European countries. You recently accused the West of resorting to brute force. Do you acknowledge that Russia is waging a covert hybrid war against European countries? If so, to what end?

Sergey Lavrov: Are you talking about us destroying drones and missiles that Britain and continental Europe supply to Ukraine, which it then fires at us? Is that what you are talking about?

Question: This may be one example of what I’m talking about.

Sergey Lavrov: If you acknowledge that your weapons are being used to attack us, and we shoot them down, call it whatever you like. I have no doubt, though, that this is a war that Europe is waging against us. We’ve been making this point for a long time now.

Question: What about brute force? You accuse the West of resorting to brute force.

Sergey Lavrov: I do not remember ever using the collocation “brute force.”

Question: You said not long ago that the West resorts to brute force.

Sergey Lavrov: Was what they did in Venezuela soft power or brute force? What they did to the Nord Stream pipelines was that soft power or brute force? Bombing and destroying the Iranian leadership and their families, including children, was that brute force or not?

Question: Does Russia not resort to brute force in Ukraine on a daily basis?

Sergey Lavrov: If you mean destroying the infrastructure that is being used by the Nazi regime, with Western support, to wage war against the Russian Federation, then we do resort to brute force to suppress direct threat.

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