Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that if a third world war were to occur, it would involve nuclear weapons and be destructive, according to Russian media, Al Jazeera reports.
The comments reported by the RIA news agency on Wednesday came a day after he told a Geneva disarmament meeting via video link that neighbouring Ukraine, which Russian invaded last week, had been seeking nuclear weapons.
He did not provide evidence other than saying “Ukraine still has Soviet nuclear technologies and the means of delivery of such weapons.”
Lavrov has also said that Russia would have faced a “real danger” if Ukraine acquired nuclear weapons.
"The military operation in Ukraine, including Kiev, is aimed at disarming Ukraine. Russia will not let Ukraine obtain nuclear weapons," Al Jazeera quotes Lavrov as saying.
Russia was ready for sanctions that were imposed against it but was surprised that the penalties affected athletes and journalists, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the Al Jazeera TV channel.
"We were ready for sanctions but did not expect that they would affect athletes, intellectuals, actors, and journalists," Al Jazeera quoted the Russian top diplomat as saying.
Western countries refused to discuss the establishment of a new European security architecture with Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"The West refused to cooperate with us on establishing a new European security architecture," Lavrov stressed.
However, the minister pointed out that "Russia has got many friends, and it is impossible to isolate it."
Russia is ready for the second round of negotiations with Ukraine, but Kiev delays this process under Washington’s command, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"We are ready for the second round of talks, but the Ukrainian side is delaying [the process] under command from the Amercans," Lavrov said.
Crimea’s status as part of Russia is non-negotiable, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"Crimea is part of Russia and it’s non-negotiable," he emphasized.
