Russia has no intention of attacking EU or Nato states, foreign minister says

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov says his country has no intention of attacking EU or Nato member states but warned of a decisive response to any aggression directed towards Moscow. In a wide-ranging speech delivered at the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Lavrov said threats against Russia by Western countries were becoming increasingly common. He also took aim at Israel, saying that while Russia condemned the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas, there was no justification for the brutal killings of Palestinians in Gaza, or for plans to annex the West Bank. Israel has previously said its Gaza operation is necessary to defeat Hamas. At least 65,926 people have been killed by Israeli strikes, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, while about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage in the 7 October attacks.