Russia and the West are at risk of a direct conflict, as Moscow warns that its support for Ukraine is pushing the US and its allies to the brink of direct military confrontation with Moscow, according to Reuters news agency. Along with that, the Kremlin announced that Russia would increase attacks on Western weapons in Ukraine.
“We will increase the intensity of attacks on Western logistics centers and weapons warehouses,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on April 23, according to Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti. .
The warning from Mr. Shoigu came right after the US House of Representatives passed a foreign aid package worth 95 billion USD last weekend and was approved by the US Senate on the morning of April 24 (Vietnam time). The new funding will provide Kive with much-needed weapons and equipment for the ongoing conflict with Russia that has lasted more than two years.
Mr. Shoigu’s warning also came in the context that President Joe Biden’s US administration is preparing to send a $1 billion weapons package to Ukraine.
The package, larger than the previous $300 million package approved in March, will include Stinger air defense missiles, vehicles, 155 mm artillery shells, Javelin anti-tank rounds, TOWs and additional ammunition for missile systems artillery, Reuters quoted two US officials as saying.
According to Russian and American diplomats, the conflict in Ukraine has caused the worst breakdown in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
After US lawmakers approved billions of dollars in additional military aid for Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Washington and NATO are obsessed with the idea of causing “strategic failure” with Russia.
Mr. Lavrov said that the West’s support for Ukraine is pushing the US and its allies to the brink of direct military conflict with Russia. Speaking at a conference in Moscow on nuclear non-proliferation, Mr. Lavrov said: “The West is ‘dangerously walking a tightrope’ regarding a direct military conflict between nuclear powers. causes many dire consequences.
According to Foreign Minister Lavrov, what is especially worrying is the fact that the “trinity” of Western nuclear states are among the main donors to Ukraine and that Russia sees serious strategic risks from this. , leading to an increase in provocations “at the level of nuclear danger”.
Since the conflict broke out, Russia has repeatedly warned of increased nuclear risks – warnings that Washington says it must take seriously, although US officials have said they see no any change in Russia’s nuclear position.
As relations deteriorated, Russia and the United States both expressed regret over the disintegration of the network of arms control treaties intended to slow the Cold War arms race and reduce the risk of nuclear war. .
Russia and the United States are by far the world’s largest nuclear powers, holding more than 10,600 of the world’s 12,100 nuclear warheads. China has the third largest nuclear arsenal, followed by France and Britain.
Mr. Lavrov said that, due to the current crisis, there is no basis for dialogue with the US on arms control. “In the context of a general war taking place against us, there is no basis for dialogue with Washington on arms control and strategic stability in general,” he said.
Russia’s top diplomat also accused the West of seeking to impose restrictions on the nuclear arsenals of Russia and China, while also developing non-nuclear capabilities to achieve sole military superiority. direction.
According to Mr. Lavrov, the West is building a global missile defense system that can blockade opponents, place nuclear weapons in Europe, and deploy medium- and short-range missiles in regions around the world. and preparing to deploy weapons in space.
For its part, the US says it is developing defense capabilities in accordance with international agreements, wants only peaceful uses of outer space, and its missile defense plans are for defense purposes only. .
