Moscow –
According to Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, there is currently a real risk of a third world war.
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Asked about a comparison of the current situation with the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Lavrov said that “back then there were actually few rules, written rules”. But the “rules of conduct” were quite clear – in Moscow it was clear how Washington was behaving, and Washington was clear how Moscow was behaving. Even today there are few rules, Lavrov said, referring to the New Start nuclear disarmament treaty. But “at the same time, all other arms control and non-proliferation instruments are virtually destroyed.”
Lavrov: Not a trusted channel of communication
There was also a channel of communication during the Cuban Missile Crisis that was trusted by the leaders of the Soviet Union and the United States. Today there is no such channel and no one is trying to create it.
In the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, the United States and the Soviet Union were on the brink of nuclear war. New Start, the Strategic Nuclear Disarmament Treaty, is the only remaining major arms control agreement between the US and Russia. This limits the nuclear arsenals of both countries to 800 delivery systems and 1,550 operational nuclear warheads.
According to Kiev’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Russia is now becoming aware of its defeat in its war against Ukraine. Russia is losing hope of scaring the world and is therefore now talking about the danger of a third world war, said Kuleba, referring to statements by his colleague Sergey Lavrov. “It just means that Moscow is feeling its defeat in Ukraine,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter on Tuesday night.
Latvia rejected the threat of an escalation in the Ukraine war raised by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “If Russia threatens World War III, then that is a clear sign that Ukraine is succeeding,” Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “We should not give in to Russian blackmail, but redouble our support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.” According to the chief diplomat of the Baltic EU and NATO state, only resolute and consistent action can restore international law and order.
Meanwhile, Lavrov said Russia considers NATO arms deliveries to Ukraine legitimate targets for his country. “Of course, these weapons will be a legitimate target for Russian forces,” Lavrov said. Camps, including those in western Ukraine, have become such targets more than once.
“How could it be otherwise,” Lavrov continued. “If Nato de facto goes to war with Russia via a proxy and arms this proxy, then you do in war what you have to do in war.”
More and more of the NATO countries have recently announced that they will also directly supply heavy weapons for Ukraine’s fight against the Russian attackers. Heavy weapons are main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers, heavy artillery, warships, combat aircraft and helicopters, and larger, heavily armored vehicles.
Accusation: USA and Great Britain are slowing down negotiations
Lavrov has accused the United States and Britain of slowing down negotiations with Ukraine. We know for sure that “neither London nor Washington” would advise Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to speed up negotiations, the Russian Foreign Minister said. “They always advise Zelenskyy to tighten his position.”
He claimed that Kyiv is delaying negotiations. Recently, for example, the Ukrainian side stated that they had not yet had time to deal with the latest Russian proposal. There was no information from Kyiv.
Lavrov also stated that Ukraine’s positions were predetermined from abroad. “Many of us are convinced that the real position of Ukraine will be determined in Washington, London and other western capitals.” Therefore, “our political analysts say why talk to Zelenskyy’s team, you have to talk to the Americans, negotiate with them, reach some kind of agreement.” The Russian side has repeatedly questioned Ukraine’s independence and right to exist.
The prevention of NATO accession and a neutral status of Ukraine is one of the main goals of the Russian war of aggression against the neighboring state. Zelenskyj had shown himself ready to talk about a neutral status for the country and security guarantees from third countries. So far, however, there are no tangible results in the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:220425-99-42247/10 (dpa)
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