London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Aug 23, 2026

West has declared 'total hybrid war' on Russia, claims Lavrov - as Putin warns Finland against joining NATO

West has declared 'total hybrid war' on Russia, claims Lavrov - as Putin warns Finland against joining NATO

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Finland's leader that abandoning neutrality would be a "mistake" but Finland's minister for European affairs has told Sky News the country is "prepared for all kinds of nasty measures".

The West has declared a "total hybrid war" against Russia and it is hard to predict how long it will last, Moscow's foreign minister has said.

Sergei Lavrov said the consequences of the war in Ukraine will be felt around the world.

But speaking about sanctions on Russia, he warned: "Western politicians should understand their efforts to isolate our country are in vain."

And he went on to accuse Western nations of stealing other countries' assets and losing their reputation as reliable partners.

"In the future, the world economy will be de-Americanised," he said in a speech on the 80th day of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"We did everything to avoid a direct clash - but now that the challenge has been thrown down, we of course accept it," Mr Lavrov continued.

"We are no strangers to sanctions: they were almost always there in one form or another."

His comments come after a meeting of G7 foreign ministers took place earlier on Saturday, which saw the nations sign a statement saying they will continue to put economic pressure on Russia.

The group, which is made up of the UK, USA, Canada, Japan, Germany, France and Italy, also backed giving more aid and arms to Ukraine and expediting its efforts to "end reliance on Russian energy supplies".

"We reaffirm our determination to further increase economic and political pressure on Russia, continuing to act in unity," a joint statement read.

Other key developments:

• President Zelenskyy says talks with Russia on getting wounded defenders out of the Azovstal plant in Mariupol were "very complex"
• Russian fighter jets have taken part in Baltic Sea drills, Interfax reported
• Russia says it will take adequate precautionary measures if NATO deploys nuclear forces and infrastructure close to its border
• Ukraine is storing hundreds of dead Russian soldiers in a refrigerated train in order to send them back to their families
• American think tank believes Russia has lost the battle for Ukraine's second-largest city

Putin warns Finland it would be a 'mistake' to join NATO


Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned Finland's leader that abandoning neutrality would be a "mistake" but that there are no security threats to its capital, Helsinki.

In response, President Sauli Niinisto told Mr Putin that his demands for countries to avoid joining NATO, together with the invasion of Ukraine, have changed Finland's security environment.

In a readout of a phone call between the two leaders, Finland's president said: "The conversation was direct and straight-forward and it was conducted without aggravations. Avoiding tensions was considered important."

Russia's Kremlin described the call as a "frank exchange of views" - normally a diplomatic euphemism for a difficult conversation.

Finland's NATO membership bid is expected to be followed by a similar move from Sweden.

An expansion of NATO would be a blow to Mr Putin, who undertook the war in, what he said was, a bid to thwart the alliance's easterly advance.

Finnish President Sauli Niinisto (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) pictured in 2021


'We are in a different situation since Russia started its ruthless war'


Discussing Finland's bid to join the alliance, the country's European affairs minister told Sky News it is "ready to carry out its responsibilities for the security of Europe".

Asked if Finland is playing a dangerous game by going against Mr Putin's warning, Tytti Tuppurainen replied: "Absolutely not.

"We are in a different situation since Russia started its ruthless and illegal war in Ukraine."

She explained that "it is time" for Finland to "get allies and to get more partners" but it does not "intend to provoke anyone".

"It's about security," Ms Tuppurainen said. "We have a neighbour which we have seen is able to act and wage a very ruthless war.

"We are prepared for all kinds of nasty measures against us but there is absolutely no panic and we are not afraid. We have been preparing for all kinds of actions and this is about our own decisions."

"Putin is to blame and this is one of the consequences of his game," she said.

'There is no threat'


Earlier on Saturday, the operator of Finland's national grid, Finigrid, confirmed to Sky News that electricity is no longer coming into the nation from Russia.

The cut supposedly happened because payments were unable to be processed.

Speaking to Sky News, the senior vice president of Finigrid, Reima Paivinen said: "We are not worried... Russian input totals about 10% of our consumption and the lack of input can be covered by having more national production and by increasing imports from Sweden and the Baltic countries.

"There is no threat that there will be not enough electricity," he added.

Comments

Oh ya 4 year ago
The west mainly the USA wants war with Russia. Ukraine would not sign the Minski agreement that was worked out since 2014 likely being told not to from America. The last thing a failing country does is take its people to war and if you have at least 2 working brain cells you can see the US is a failing nation

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Iranian Hackers Shut Down British Power Plant for Four Days in Landmark Cyber Attack
Novak Djokovic Reveals Relentless Self-Doubt and Rejects Retirement in New Documentary
Trump Imposes 50% Tariffs on Canadian Goods After Bilateral Trade Talks Collapse
Australia Combines Indigenous Fire Knowledge With Satellite Tech to Combat Catastrophic Wildfires
Father and Son Jailed in Scotland Over £900,000 Airport Cannabis Smuggling Operation
UK Fraud Reports Surge Sevenfold as Criminals Exploit QR Codes in Parking Meters and Phishing Emails
Brighton Thrash Aston Villa in Four-Goal Opening Half as Manchester City Trail Bournemouth
Erin Patterson Appeals Triple Murder Convictions After Hotel Mixed Sequestered Jury With Prosecution
Bank of England Maintains Close Watch on Banks Amid Global Economic Uncertainty
Warm Weather and Tourism Support UK High Street Spending During Summer
Westminster Faces Continuing Political and Administrative Fallout From Epstein Files Release
UK Invests in Domestic Defence Drone Manufacturing to Strengthen Military Supply Chains
Around Five Million UK Households Face Higher Mortgage Payments by 2028
Bluetongue Virus Cases Rise Across England, Wales and Scotland
UK Government Holds First National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism
Historic Summer Droughts Threaten UK Harvests and Put Further Pressure on Food Prices
UK Economy Holds Up in Second Quarter Despite Global Energy and Geopolitical Pressures
UK Opens National Artificial Intelligence Safety Testing Facility
UK Government Finalizes Plans to Bring Remaining Regional Rail Services Into Public Ownership
Environment Agency Imposes Record Penalties on Water Companies Over Illegal Sewage Discharges
Great British Energy Announces Offshore Wind Partnership in North Sea
UK Government Tightens Planning Rules to Accelerate Housing Development
NHS Launches Digital Overhaul to Cut Elective Care Waiting Lists
Bank of England Signals Interest Rates May Stay Higher for Longer as Inflation Pressures Persist
The rise and fall of Hui Ka Yan, China’s richest man
Woke: Britain Considers Plain Packaging for Cigars as Specialist Shops Warn of Industry Collapse
Britain's Public-Service Productivity Remains Below 2019 as £80 Billion Output Gap Fuels WFH Debate
Mandelson Epstein Case in Jeopardy as U.S. Files Stay Out of Reach
Prince Harry and Six Others Ordered to Pay £9.5 Million After High Court Defeat
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Inflation and Energy Risks Persist
UK AI Security Tests Find Autonomous Agent Attempting Malicious Code Injection
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in Second Quarter Amid Global Pressures
UK Joins European Allies in Condemning Israeli Settlement Plans in West Bank E1 Area
Multiple People Killed in A66 Collision Near Middlesbrough Involving Police Vehicle
UK Government Holds First National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism
UK Met Office Warns of Severe Autumn Storms as Strong El Niño Follows Historic Drought
Petrol Bombs Set Luxury Cars Alight Outside Birmingham Wedding as Police Hunt Three Men
Bitcoin Surges Toward $80,000 as Short Squeeze and ETF Inflows Ignite Crypto Rally
Prince Harry and Co-Claimants Ordered to Pay £9.5 Million Toward Daily Mail Publisher’s Legal Costs
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Reportedly Plan Return to Britain With Their Children
UK Court Ruling Threatens Deportation Plans for Potential Trafficking Victims to Albania
Kemi Badenoch Presses UK Government for Decisions on Rosebank and Jackdaw Oil Fields
UK Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Calls for Ban on Goods from Occupied West Bank
Andy Burnham Government to Place Civil Servants Directly in English Mayoral Offices
Met Office Warns Major El Niño Could Bring Stormier, Wetter Autumn to UK
UK Economy Gains Unexpected Momentum Ahead of Andy Burnham Government’s First Budget
Twenty-Nine US States Take Meta to Trial Over Alleged Child Addiction on Instagram and Facebook
Former Scottish National Party Executive Peter Murrell Jailed for Five Years Over £400,000 Embezzlement
Moderna and Merck's Personalized Cancer Vaccine Succeeds in Historic Late-Stage Melanoma Trial
Prince Harry and Meghan to Move Back to Britain With Their Children
×