Lavrov Claims Europe Preparing for Military Confrontation with Russia by 2030

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted that European countries are working toward achieving combat readiness for a potential confrontation with Russia by 2030. According to Lavrov, European elites have invested hundreds of billions of dollars into supporting Ukraine's government and increasing military budgets across EU member states and NATO in preparation for this timeline. He stated that Europe intends to "buy time by whatever means available" until reaching their 2030 target for "defense readiness" against Russia. Lavrov made these claims in an article titled "Ukraine, Europe and Global Security," which was originally scheduled for publication in the Brussels-based outlet Politico-Europe. However, the publication was canceled at the last minute by the outlet's editorial team, preventing the full piece from reaching its intended audience.