Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused European countries of "doing everything in their power" to obstruct negotiations aimed at ending the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, pledging in a sharp speech he delivered on Saturday before the United Nations General Assembly that his country would achieve its goals in Ukraine.
Lavrov said in his speech, “Europe is doing everything in its power to obstruct the peace talks sponsored by the administration of (US President Donald) Trump.”
He added, "The objectives of the special military operation will be achieved, the threat facing Russian security will be eliminated, and calm life will return. This will happen regardless of the circumstances."
The general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, which opened on Tuesday, September 22, and concludes on Monday, September 28, 2026, continues at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Lavrov's statements came hours after he met with his German counterpart, Johan Vadevol, in the first meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers since before the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
The talks took place against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Berlin and Moscow in recent weeks, as Germany held Russia responsible for an attempted drone attack targeting Leipzig Airport. Subsequently, both countries ordered the closure of the other country's consulate.
For his part, during his meeting with Lavrov, Vadivul called on Moscow to "abandon the dangerous escalation approach it is adopting towards Germany, Europe and NATO," according to what a German diplomat said and reported by Agence France-Presse.
Vadiful explained, according to what the diplomat was quoted as saying, that “incidents such as the recent attempted attack in Leipzig or other multi-means attacks will not shake Germany’s resolve to support Ukraine, which is under attack.”
The German diplomat said, "The German Foreign Minister condemned the continued Russian aggression, which is increasingly targeting Ukrainian civilians."
He added, "Attempting to escalate pressure will not change the difficult reality facing Russia, as its army suffers tens of thousands of deaths every month in a war of attrition with no horizon, while the Russian economy is deteriorating."
TASS news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying that the German side requested, before the meeting with Lavrov, not to allow media coverage, noting that the meeting came at the initiative of Berlin and lasted about 20 minutes.
Strait of Hormuz
In another file, Lavrov confirmed to the international organization Moscow's readiness to contribute to ensuring the stability of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf region in light of the continuing tension between the United States and Iran.
He said, "We need to strengthen confidence in the relations between the Gulf states, the Arab states, and Iran. We need a stable regional structure," shortly after US President Donald Trump announced his rejection of Iran's new proposal to stop hostilities and reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
For his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said before the United Nations General Assembly that his country and the countries of the region were subjected to “brutal” Iranian attacks that targeted their security, capabilities, and civil and economic facilities.
He added that his country reaffirms its full right to protect its security, sovereignty, citizens, residents of its lands, and national capabilities.
He called on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities in confronting everything that threatens international peace and security.
He said, "The security of the Arabian Gulf region is an integral part of the security of the region and the world, and the stability of this vital region is directly linked to global energy security, the continuity of international trade, and the sustainability of global supply chains."
Regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, he explained that Saudi Arabia’s position is to work to restore the situation to what it was before, without imposing fees or control.
Bin Farhan stressed his country’s support for restricting weapons to the state in Lebanon and Iraq, and for Iraq not to be a source of aggression against neighboring countries.
Regarding Yemen, he said that his country provided $29 billion to help Yemen, and called for condemning the aggression of the Ansar Allah Houthi group.
He pointed out that Saudi Arabia's reserves helped confront the energy crisis that faced the world due to the unrest, adding, "Despite the exceptional circumstances, we contributed to the continuation of global trade and support for the West and the world."
He said that no country can face challenges alone, and "we will continue to work with partners to support confidence and stability."
Chinese Vice President Han Jing also described his country's vision as being based on the fact that the sovereignty and security of the Middle East, including the Gulf states, "must be respected."
"The world is witnessing intertwined changes and turmoil, and extended geopolitical conflicts," Jing said, calling for rejecting the Cold War mentality, staying away from confrontations, and resolving differences through dialogue and consultation.
Speaking at the United Nations on Saturday, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi called on all parties in the ongoing war in the Middle East to exercise “restraint,” stressing his country’s readiness to play the role of mediator.
Al Busaidi said in his speech during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, “We appeal to all concerned parties to the need to end the outstanding differences between them, by adopting a policy of restraint, farsightedness, and engaging in dialogue, to achieve consensual political solutions and sustainable understandings for the benefit of all.”
He added, "The Sultanate of Oman reaffirms its firm commitment to continuing its efforts aimed at preserving navigation in the Strait of Hormuz... and calls on all parties to cooperate with it in these endeavours."
In his speech on Saturday, Indian External Affairs Minister Subramaniam Jaishankar warned that violent conflicts continue to undermine international peace and security, while forcing countries far from the battlefields to pay a heavy price.
He expressed his "deep concern about the continuing conflicts in the Gulf region and the targeting of commercial ships and navigation crews in international waterways, describing these actions as unacceptable."
"Establishment of a Palestinian state"
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that democracy and stability in the world cannot be achieved without ending "neo-colonial practices," noting that the time has come to ensure the establishment of a Palestinian state based on numerous United Nations resolutions.
Chinese Vice President Han Jing said that the world needs “peace, not war,” and that China calls for returning the Palestinian issue to “the right track of the two-state solution.”
He added: "We renew our categorical rejection of all unilateral measures aimed at changing the historical, legal and demographic reality of Holy Jerusalem."
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand stated, "Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal, and we intend to restrict trade with illegal Israeli settlements."
