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Sergei Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia
Photo: Jean-Christophe Bott / dpa
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov describes the danger of a conflict with nuclear weapons as serious.
Russia's central position is to rule out this threat, Lavrov said in an interview with state television, according to a transcript published on the Foreign Ministry's website.
“I don't want to artificially increase those risks.
Many would like to do that.
The danger is serious, real.
And we mustn't underestimate them.«
Referring to the behavior of the West, Lavrov said NATO was "practically" at war with Russia.
The Western military alliance wants to avoid exactly such an open conflict - with unforeseeable potential for escalation.
According to the Russian minister, however, the arming of Ukraine by the West alone means that it is intervening in the war.
The NATO states had recently repeatedly promised and delivered military aid to Kyiv.
Lavrov described such arms shipments in Ukraine as "legal targets" for Russian attacks.
According to Lavrov, there were similar attacks on military depots in the west of the country: "How could it be otherwise?"
The Kremlin representative also said that the war would end with an agreement with the government in Kyiv.
The content depends on the military situation.
At the same time, Lavrov criticized the behavior of the Ukrainian government in relation to peace talks: Ukraine was only faking negotiations.
Allegations against the leadership in Kyiv
Russia will continue negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation, Lavrov said.
At the same time, he emphasized: »Good will has its limits.« If it is not based on »reciprocity«, »it does not help the negotiation process«.
Lavrov accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of only "pretending" that he was negotiating.
"He's a good actor," Lavrov said, referring to Zelensky's previous career as a comedian and serial actor.
"If you carefully observe and read what he says, you will find a thousand contradictions."
Referring to a possible agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine, Lavrov said the "framework" of such an agreement would depend on the "status of the fighting" that will have taken place by the time "the agreement becomes real."
jok/AFP