Russian Foreign Minister threatens with nuclear weapons at meeting of UN General Assembly

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — Saturday, 28 September 2024, 22:55

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called it "suicidal" to attempt to fight to victory with Russia, a nuclear power.

Source: Sergei Lavrov at a meeting of the UN General Assembly and at a press conference; Kremlin-aligned Russian news agencies TASS and RIA Novosti

Details: Lavrov said at a meeting of the UN General Assembly that it was futile to attempt to fight to victory with a nuclear power like Russia.

Sergei Lavrov also said that the West's decisions to use weapons deep inside Russia would show how they had heard the statements of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin about the nuclear doctrine.

Lavrov called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statements about Russia's plans to attack Ukrainian nuclear power plants "impromptu and badly executed".

He also accused Zelenskyy of allegedly wanting to directly involve NATO countries in the fighting.

Commenting on US presidential candidate Donald Trump's alleged readiness to end the war in Ukraine, Lavrov said: ‘We will welcome any initiatives that will lead to a settlement by eliminating the root causes of the crisis.’

Background:

  • On 25 September, Putin announced that Russia would expand the conditions under which it is ready to use nuclear weapons. 
  • The EU said in response that Putin's new threats to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear countries were yet another indication of his irresponsible behaviour and would not change the EU's position on continuing to support Ukraine.
  • NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who is stepping down at the end of September, was sceptical about Putin's threats amid discussions about allowing Ukraine to launch long-range strikes against Russia.
  • On 24 September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has evidence of Russia's intentions to strike three nuclear power plants before winter.

Support UP or become our patron!