Russia accuses EU, Nato of waging war on it via Ukraine

Foreign minister's remarks dismissed by Britain as 'fantasy world distortions'

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Russia's top diplomat accused Nato and the European Union of using Ukraine to declare a "real war" against his country in a speech at the UN on Sept 25 that Britain dismissed as "false fantasy world distortions".

He spoke at a Group of 20 (G-20) meeting of foreign ministers at the UN two days after US President Donald Trump signalled a harsher stance on Moscow, praising Ukraine's war effort and saying Nato allies should shoot down Russian jets that enter their airspace.

Tensions have mounted along Europe's eastern flank, where Estonia has accused Moscow of sending three fighter jets into its airspace, a week after Nato jets shot down Russian drones in Polish airspace.

"Another clear example is the crisis in Ukraine provoked by the West, through which Nato and the EU have... already declared a real war on my country and are directly involved in it," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.