Sat Sep 28 17:34:59 UTC 2024: ## Lavrov Warns Europe Against “Suicidal Escapade” of Confrontation with Russia
**NEW YORK** – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov delivered a stark warning to European countries at the UN General Assembly, urging them to avoid confrontation with Moscow, which he called a “suicidal escapade.” Speaking in the absence of President Vladimir Putin, Lavrov also condemned the West’s support for Ukraine and its potential entry into NATO.
Lavrov accused the West of using Ukraine as a tool to “defeat Russia” and claimed the “illegitimate neo-Nazi Kyiv regime” posed a threat to Russia and Europe. He asserted that “gross violations” of Russian rights and the “dragging” of Ukraine into NATO threatened European security.
His remarks come amidst a backdrop of heightened tensions fueled by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Earlier on Friday, Ukrainian authorities reported a Russian drone strike on a hospital in Sumy, near the border, resulting in nine deaths and 12 injuries.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to press Western allies for long-range precision weapons to target deep within Russia.
The UN General Assembly session, which is taking place against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, has seen a number of heated exchanges, with Lavrov’s address highlighting the deep divisions and escalating rhetoric between Russia and the West.
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