(Reuters) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Moscow would do everything it can for the “sobriety” of the European Union and NATO, which he accused of trying to weaken and defeat Russia.
His remarks came on the same day that former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned NATO that a Russian defeat in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war.
Nearly 11 months after invading Ukraine, Russia is increasingly presenting the war to its own people as an existential battle against the West. In televised remarks, Lavrov said Moscow would try to disprove Western politicians of their “smug” and “colonial” attitudes towards Russia.
“I hope sobriety comes,” Lavrov said. “We will do everything to get our NATO and EU colleagues sober as soon as possible.”
He was speaking during a visit to Belarus, Moscow’s close ally, which is holding air exercises with Russia this week as part of a long series of joint military activities that have raised Ukraine’s concern that President Vladimir Putin might try to lure Belarus into the war on the side of Russia.
The joint air exercises started on Monday and are expected to last until February 1, using all military air bases in Belarus.
Ukraine has repeatedly warned of possible attacks from Belarusian territory, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said last week that Ukrainian forces must be ready at the border.
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