"Global Collapse": Putin's Next Nuclear Threat?

Germany is also in focus

Created: 07/03/2022 17:06

By: Florian Naumann

A clear threat to the West: Sergey Lavrov and Maria Zakharova - here in Munich.

(Archive image) © Björn Trotsky/Imago

After its "turning point" Germany delivered weapons to the Ukraine - and thus became the target of a Russian threat.

The Kremlin warns of a "global collapse".

Moscow - For many months, Kyiv had asked the West in the Ukraine conflict * for arms deliveries.

The USA reacted early - Germany in its much-discussed "turning point" only at the end of February.

Support should continue to roll for this.

Partly in secret, as Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock recently explained.

However, if statements from the Russian Foreign Ministry are to be believed, this practice is also dangerous for those involved in the West: the house of Vladimir Putin's experienced department head Sergey Lavrov threatened in martial terms on Monday (March 7).

Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned of a "catastrophic development" also "in the NATO countries".

Ukraine war: Putin's ministry threatens - "Provokes catastrophic consequences in the NATO countries"

The statement comes at a critical time.

At the weekend, the United States, among others, pushed for the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine.

Baerbock was also open to this option.

At the same time, however, the West is trying, in the face of Russia's nuclear power, which is difficult to calculate, not to violate any of Vladimir Putin's red lines and to avoid NATO entering the war - for example with a no-fly zone over Ukraine* demanded by Kyiv.

But the Kremlin could also want to draw exactly such a red line in front of arms deliveries.

However, the seriousness of the threat seems difficult to assess.

The delivery of weapons or planes and the deployment of mercenaries could not improve the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Zakharova said, according to the state agency TASS.

She warned of a "global collapse" should Western weapons get into the hands of combatants.

However, that should have happened a long time ago.

Arms deliveries would provoke a "catastrophic development of the situation not only in Ukraine, but also in the NATO countries," emphasized the ministry spokeswoman.

Ukraine war: Russia threatens Germany and Co. for arms deliveries - "It's your choice"

The Russian Foreign Ministry had previously criticized the German government's decision to send anti-tank weapons and surface-to-air missiles.

Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said on ZDF's "Morgenmagazin" on Monday that the federal government was examining whether to help Ukraine with further arms deliveries.

Ambassador Andriy Melnyk expressed his dissatisfaction with the procedure so far on Sunday.

Moscow has already explained the damage and consequences of its policy to the countries concerned "with facts in hand," Zakharova said.

However, some countries held on to arms deliveries.

"It's your choice.

This choice is wrong and simply criminal.”

On another point, however, the federal government remains more on course close to Russia: Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) ruled out a complete stop to Russian energy supplies on Monday.

He referred to acute needs in Europe.

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