Russia tells UN: No intent to attack Europe, but aggression will get a 'decisive response'

NEW YORK — As new tensions rise between Russia and NATO powers, Moscow's top diplomat insisted to world leaders Saturday that his nation doesn't intend to attack Europe but will mount a “decisive response” to any aggression.

At the same time, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took a notably measured tone toward the United States in the wake of last month's summit between the countries' leaders.

Though they left without a deal to end Russia's war in Ukraine, Lavrov said Moscow had “some hopes” to keep talking with Washington, and he suggested his country sees U.S. President Donald Trump's administration as a practical-minded counterpart.

Lavrov spoke at the U.N. General Assembly after weeks in which unauthorized flights into NATO’s airspace — intrusions the alliance blames on Russia — have