Lavrov Says West Is Preparing for War, Accuses Europe of Backing Kiev

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Western countries are preparing for war and outlined what he described as Moscow's response to the challenges it faces, according to a report published by Russian state news agency TASS.

In remarks cited by TASS, Lavrov said Europe's support for what he called the "Nazi regime in Kiev" amounted to a disgrace. The characterization of Ukraine's government as a "Nazi regime" is a term used by Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, as part of the stated justification for Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022. Ukraine and Western governments have rejected this characterization.

TASS did not provide additional details in the excerpt regarding the specific nature of the alleged Western war preparations or the precise measures Lavrov said Russia intends to take in response.

The comments come amid continued tensions between Russia and Western nations over the war in Ukraine, which has drawn sanctions from the United States, European Union and other allies against Moscow, along with military and financial support for Kiev.

Russian officials have repeatedly accused NATO member states of escalating the conflict through arms deliveries to Ukraine, while Western governments have characterized their support as a defensive response to Russia's invasion.

This report is based solely on the source excerpt provided by TASS; further details of Lavrov's full remarks were not available at the time of publication.