UNITED NATIONS (AP) — As new tensions rise between Russia and NATO powers, Moscow’s top diplomat insisted to world leaders Saturday that his nation doesn’t intend to attack Europe but will mount a “decisive response” to any aggression.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke at the U.N. General Assembly after weeks in which unauthorized flights into NATO’s airspace — intrusions the alliance blames on Russia — have raised alarm around Europe, particularly after NATO jets downed drones over Poland and Estonia said Russian fighter jets flew into its territory and lingered for 12 minutes.
Russia has denied that its planes entered Estonian airspace and has said the drones didn’t target Poland, with Moscow’s ally Belarus maintaining that Ukrainian signal-jamming sent the devices off course.
But European leaders see the incidents as intentional, provocative moves meant to rattle NATO and to assess how the alliance will respond. The alliance warned Russia this week that NATO would use all means to defend against any further breaches of its airspace.
At the U.N., Lavrov maintained it’s Russia that’s facing threats.