Putin says Russia has no intention of going to war with Europe

The German and Russian foreign ministers met Saturday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly for what's believed to be their first chat since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The meeting came as tensions between the European Union and Russia rose and just before Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed world leaders.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called on Russia to abandon its "dangerous path of escalation" towards Germany, Europe and the NATO alliance.

Ties between Russia and Germany have soured following an attempted drone attack last month at Leipzig airport.

This as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of seeking excuses to prolong the war in Ukraine and warned that Moscow could be preparing to expand its military activities to other countries.

But Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated Russian President Vladimir Putin's earlier statement that Russia has no intention of going to war with Europe.

He said that is "nonsense and rubbish" while at the same time Europeans reiterated that they "must be ready for war by 2030 at the latest".

Lavrov said "this position could turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Because they're pouring huge amounts of money into weapons production right now."

Addressing the UN General Assembly Lavrov blamed Western countries for tensions saying "The West is increasingly resorting to brute force,acting in an unpredictable and reckless manner and endangering the lives and well-being of millions, if not billions of people living on our shared planet."

Meanwhile Russian drone attacks hit several districts of Ukraine's capital Kyiv early Saturday, injuring four and damaging residential and office buildings,

a warehouse and a shopping centre, according to local authorities.

Russian drone attacks too in Zaporizhzhia hitting residential buildings and commercial premises, with the facade of an educational institution damaged.

A 38-year-old man and three-year-old boy were injured.