Allowing Ukraine to strike deep into Russia with Western missiles is “playing with fire” and could lead to a global conflict, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned the West.
He cautioned that a potential World War III would not be limited to Europe. Lavrov stated, “We are now confirming once again that playing with fire – and they are like small children playing with matches – is a very dangerous thing for grown-up uncles and aunts who are entrusted with nuclear weapons in one or another Western country.”
Lavrov accused the West of seeking to escalate the Ukraine war and warned of “asking for trouble” by considering Ukrainian requests to loosen curbs on using foreign-supplied weapons. He emphasized that Russia is “clarifying” its nuclear doctrine, which sets out the circumstances under which the president would consider using a nuclear weapon.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier stated that the assault on Russia’s Kursk region showed that Kremlin threats of retaliation were a bluff. Zelensky urged allies to be bolder in their decisions about how to help Kyiv in the war.
Russia has accused the West of involvement in the Kursk attack, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stating, “The involvement of the United States is an obvious fact.” However, Washington denies any involvement, saying it was not informed about Ukraine’s plans ahead of the surprise incursion into Kursk.
The New York Times reported that the United States and Britain provided Ukraine with satellite imagery and other information about the Kursk region in the days after the Ukrainian attack, aimed at helping Ukraine track Russian reinforcements.
Lavrov warned, “Americans unequivocally associate conversations about [a] Third World War as something that, God forbid, if it happens, will affect Europe exclusively.” He emphasized the risks of a broader conflict, saying, “We are now confirming once again that playing with fire… is a very dangerous thing.”
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