Lavrov issues stark warning not to fool with Russia's red lines

Lavrov issues stark warning not to fool with Russia's red lines

TASS

Washington would be well-served not to mess with Russia's red lines on the Ukrainian issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"They [the US] should understand that our red lines are nothing to fool with. And they know very well where they are," the top diplomat told reporter Pavel Zarubin.

According to the foreign minister, the US is starting to lose its sense of mutual restraint with Russia. "This is dangerous," Lavrov pointed out.

"[US National Security Council spokesman John] Kirby said that the issue of stepping up support for Ukraine should be approached carefully so as not to provoke World War III, because it will be sad to see Europe gone," the top diplomat continued. "So they have this deep-seated conviction that they are untouchable. This undermines all the principles based on the Soviet-American agreements on strategic stability, which were later confirmed and developed with Russia," Lavrov said.

The foreign minister emphasized that the Americans have "crossed their own red lines" on the issue of arms deliveries to Kiev. "The US is being provoked, and [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky, of course, sees this and uses it to his advantage," Lavrov pointed out. The top diplomat said he hoped that the US would see the light about the potential consequences of supplying Ukraine with weapons. "I am convinced that there are reasonable people with significant influence left there. And I hope that the interests of the US will be taken into account," the top diplomat concluded

Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that the delivery of new weapons, including F-16 jets, to Kiev would not change the situation on the front, but only prolong the conflict. He also pointed out that these fighter jets, if delivered to the Ukrainian military, would burn just like other military equipment touted by the West.