Lavrov Warns of Short War if NATO Attacks, Ready for Ukraine Talks

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov issued a stark warning this week that a war between Russia and NATO would be "very short" if European countries attacked Russia, while simultaneously affirming Moscow's readiness to negotiate an end to the conflict in Ukraine. Speaking at the International Youth Festival in Ekaterinburg on Wednesday, Lavrov stated that Russia has no interest in attacking Europe but cautioned that any aggression from the continent would trigger a swift response. "If Europe attacks Russia, it will be a completely different war, and it will be very short," he said, according to translated remarks. The warning comes amid increasing discussions among European governments about strengthening defenses against potential Russian aggression. Lavrov's comments followed remarks at an ambassadorial roundtable on Tuesday, where he emphasized that Russia is prepared to seek compromises on Ukraine but remains firm on preventing NATO's presence on its borders. "We are ready, within this position, to seek reasonable compromises, but fundamentally we have not changed our objectives to ensure our security," he said. He added that Russia welcomes U.S.