Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has escalated Moscow’s rhetoric, declaring that NATO and the European Union have waged a “real war” against Russia through their support for Ukraine. Speaking at a meeting of G20 foreign ministers on September 25, Lavrov accused the West of provoking the conflict and directly participating in it, repeating a line long pushed by the Kremlin. His remarks were carried by Russian state news agency TASS.

Lavrov claimed that the ongoing war was not simply a confrontation between Russia and Ukraine, but a wider conflict with the “collective West,” which, in his words, has moved beyond indirect backing of Kyiv and is now an active participant. He described NATO and EU involvement as a deliberate escalation, aimed at undermining Russia.

His statement comes against the backdrop of increasingly tense relations between Moscow and the Western alliance, following a series of Russian drone and aircraft violations of NATO airspace. Earlier this month, Poland shot down Russian drones that crossed into its territory - the first instance of a NATO member firing on Russian assets since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Lavrov’s comments also follow remarks by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who earlier in September insisted that NATO is at war with Russia because of its continued military assistance to Ukraine. Moscow’s claims of direct Western involvement have intensified as NATO states expand their support for Kyiv and step up airspace defenses.

The rhetoric coincides with strong statements from Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump recently argued that Ukraine has a real chance of regaining territories lost to Russia, calling Moscow a “paper tiger.” He urged NATO allies to down any Russian aircraft violating their airspace, a stance that several European officials have since endorsed. On September 23, Trump wrote on Truth Social that with “time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO,” restoring Ukraine’s original borders remains a viable option.

On September 24, Lavrov met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who pressed Moscow to take “meaningful steps toward a durable resolution” of the war, echoing Trump’s demand to end the bloodshed. Yet Russia’s foreign minister used the G20 platform the following day to double down on the narrative of NATO and the EU as direct belligerents.

Meanwhile, Russia’s envoy to France, Alexey Meshkov, warned that NATO taking action against Russian aircraft would itself amount to a “war” with Moscow. The warning underscores how Russia is framing Western military support and defensive measures as acts of aggression, a narrative intended to justify its own continued campaign in Ukraine.