Overview

• Russia signaled openness to a settlement only if its security is reliably guaranteed and the rights of Russians and Russian speakers in Ukrainian‑controlled areas are fully restored, with security guarantees for Ukraine discussed on that basis.
• Lavrov said Moscow has no intention of attacking Europe yet pledged a decisive response to any aggression, dismissing recent claims over drones shot down in Poland and alleged jet incursions into Estonia and calling World War III talk by some European politicians dangerous.
• He endorsed expanding the UN Security Council to reflect today’s balance of power and explicitly backed permanent seats for India and Brazil alongside broader representation from Asia, Africa and Latin America.
• On the Middle East, he condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas attack while criticizing Israel’s conduct in Gaza and opposing any plans to annex the West Bank, citing civilian deaths and destruction as unjustifiable.
• He accused Western powers of sabotaging solutions on Iran, rejecting efforts to restore UN sanctions as illegal and condemning reported U.S. strikes on an Iranian nuclear facility.