Moscow has stated it has no plans to initiate an attack on Europe, but would respond with full military force if provoked. The declaration from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflict in Ukraine, raising concerns about potential escalation.
“We are not preparing to attack any European countries; we simply have no need to,” Lavrov said, according to the TASS news agency. “But if Europe were to suddenly…begin to attack Russia, President Putin has stated that this would not be a ‘special military operation’ on our part, but a full-scale military response with all available military means.”
The statement echoes similar assurances made by the Kremlin prior to the large-scale invasion of Ukraine. On November 23, 2021, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov asserted, “Russia does not intend to attack anyone, has no aggressive plans,” as Russian tanks were already being deployed near the Ukrainian border.
Peskov repeated this claim on multiple occasions in the lead-up to the invasion. On February 20, 2022, with Russian forces already positioned and receiving combat orders for deployment in Ukraine, Peskov stated, “We would like to question ourselves: what is the point of Russia attacking anyone? We would like to remind you that throughout its history, Russia has never attacked anyone. And Russia, which has experienced so many wars, is the last country in Europe that would even want to utter the word ‘war.’”
Lavrov’s recent comments underscore a pattern of denial and justification that has characterized Russia’s actions in the region. The development underscores growing regional tensions and the potential for miscalculation as the conflict in Ukraine continues.
