Russian Foreign Minister: We will do everything to wake up NATO and the European Union

JAKARTA - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday Moscow would do all it could to wake up the European Union and NATO, which it accused of plotting to weaken and defeat Russia.

His comments came the same day that former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned NATO that Russia's defeat in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war.

Nearly 11 months after invading Ukraine, Russia is increasingly presenting war to its own people as an existential battle with the West.

In televised comments, Foreign Minister Lavrov said Moscow would try to awaken Western politicians from their "presumptuous" and "colonial" attitude towards Russia.

"I hope that awareness will come," said Foreign Minister Lavrov, launching Reuters January 20.

"We will do everything to wake up our partners from NATO and the European Union as soon as possible," he said.

Lavrov's comments came during a visit to Moscow's close ally Belarus, which is conducting air drills with Russia this week, part of a long series of joint military activities between the two countries.

This led to an assessment from Ukraine that President Vladimir Putin might seek to draw Belarus into the war. Russian side.

"We have the same position on what goals need to be achieved and how to ensure that neither Russia nor Belarus, is threatened by our neighbors, be it Ukraine or anyone else," Foreign Minister Lavrov said in a statement after meeting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

While Belarus added, the defense ministers of the two countries had also spoken by telephone.

It is planned that the joint air drills between the two countries will start on Monday and will last until February 1, involving all Belarusian military airfields.

It is known that Ukraine has repeatedly warned of a possible attack from Belarusian territory. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week that Ukrainian troops should be ready on the border of the two countries.