Russia Does Not Want Escalation of Conflict with the West, Lavrov Says

Russia does not wish for an escalation of conflict with the West, but at the same time, everyone understands that the Ukrainians themselves will not be able to use the long-range weapons supplied to Kyiv, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"There is no escalation, you are correct, they are playing. It seems they truly have a child’s mindset. Although these adults hold responsible positions—ministers, prime ministers, chancellors, presidents," he stated in an interview with Sky.

The minister noted that for several months now it has been discussed that Russia is only “threatening” and talking about “red lines” that the West crosses each time without any consequences. At the same time, Lavrov added, Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously stated that allowing Kyiv to fire long-range weapons at the Russian Federation would mean a NATO war against the Russian Federation.

Putin had earlier mentioned that NATO countries are not only discussing the potential use of Western long-range weapons by Kyiv but are also deciding whether to directly get involved in the Ukrainian conflict. The direct participation of Western countries in the Ukrainian conflict would change its essence, and Russia would have to make decisions based on the threats created by such actions, said Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian President. In response to a question about Russia's possible reaction to new attacks on its territory, he noted that the leaders and military of the state are aware of this and “who undertake appropriate countermeasures and are preparing for them.”