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Lavrov: ‘Thankfully, There Are a Few Reasonable People in Washington’

Sept. 20—Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov granted a lengthy interview to Sky News Arabia today. The English-language transcript is not yet complete on the Foreign Ministry site, but the following discussion, addressing the burning question of nuclear war, deserves close study. (The transcript reports the journalist’s questions as translated from Arabic.)

Question: ….I would like to talk about the “strategic defeat” that the West wants so much. The West today is like a child playing with matches. Does Russia want escalation?

Lavrov: No escalation. You are right; they are playing. They really seem to have a child’s mentality, even though they are adults holding positions of responsibility: ministers, prime ministers, chancellors, presidents, etc. For several months now, there has been this discourse about Russia only threatening and mentioning some “red lines,” which the West keeps crossing and nothing happens.

In fact, President of Russia Vladimir Putin recently commented on this situation in St. Petersburg. If acted on, the initiatives to provide Ukraine with U.S., French and British long-range missiles and to greenlight striking any target inside Russia will mean that NATO countries are at war with Russia.

Thankfully, there are a few reasonable people in Washington who realize this. NATO is waging war against Russia. But this is a hybrid war, a proxy war that they have Ukrainians fight for them. When it comes to Western long-range missile systems, it is clear to everyone that Ukrainians will not be able to use them. Only specialists from the country that has made the weapons will be able to aim them, to provide satellite data and assign flight missions.

Speaking of the “strategic defeat” on the battlefield … there are people in the United States and in Europe who were paying attention during their history lessons and have learned it well. Napoleon, and later Adolf Hitler tried to inflict a strategic defeat on us. Both rallied most of Europe under their banners—countries that had obediently submitted, had been occupied and provided their military, their armies to be commanded by Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler. Both campaigns ended in disaster. Again, anyone who is well-read and good at history is perfectly aware of this.

Today … the U.S.-led coalition (about 50 obedient countries) is assaulting us using the Ukrainian regime to do the fighting—a blatantly Nazi regime just like that of Adolf Hitler.

In a situation like this, no one should forget about the character of the Russian people. We are now seeing this on the frontlines. Attempts to rock the boat or sow discord in our society always lead to the opposite result. It is more united than ever, and we see no other way but to defeat the Nazis, who are once again encroaching on our history, our land, and language.

Question: There is a question in the context of references to Russia’s use of nuclear weapons. We know about the Russian Federation’s doctrine in this sphere. Each time the “red lines” are crossed, the question arises as to where they really lie in the context of nuclear weapons?

Lavrov: We talk about the “red lines” in the hope that our assessments and statements will be heard by clever decision-makers. It is silly to say that we will push the red button, if tomorrow you fail to do as I demand. I am confident that the decision-makers are aware of what we mean in these situations. No one wants a nuclear war. We said this time and again. Let me assure you that we have weapons whose use will involve grave consequences for the masters of the Ukrainian regime. These weapons are available and on full alert status. 

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