Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday that Moscow was closely following NATO statements about preparations for a possible Russian attack and remained on high alert.
Speaking in Moscow after meeting Timor-Leste Foreign Minister Bendito Freitas, Lavrov said Russia was continuing to pursue the objectives outlined by President Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine war, including addressing what Moscow considers threats from Western countries.
Lavrov also discussed tensions surrounding Kaliningrad. He said Putin had warned that any attack on the Russian exclave or another part of Russian territory would prompt a response. According to Lavrov, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the US representative to NATO, Morgan Whitaker, subsequently assured Moscow that the alliance had no intention of attacking Russia.
Regarding Afghanistan, Lavrov expressed regret that participants in recent Moscow Format talks failed to reach a final agreement amid disagreements involving Afghanistan and Pakistan. He linked some of the tensions to the presence of ISIS militants and urged countries outside the region to avoid interference.
Lavrov said Russia believed Afghanistan and Pakistan both had an interest in improving bilateral relations and said Moscow was working to help address existing and emerging disputes.
Russia Timor Leste Cooperation
Lavrov described his meeting with Freitas as productive, saying discussions covered potential cooperation in energy, mining, fisheries and tourism.
He said Russia was prepared to expand energy supplies to Timor-Leste and backed greater cooperation in education and law enforcement.
The two sides also discussed ASEAN, developments across the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Iran and the Ukraine conflict. Lavrov criticized Western efforts to establish exclusive alliances outside the ASEAN-centered regional framework.
Russia and Timor-Leste also agreed to prepare for events marking 25 years of diplomatic relations in May 2027.
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