US Defense Secretary: If Ukraine loses, NATO will start war with Russia
(Baonghean.vn) - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that if Ukraine loses, NATO will start a war with Russia. Mr. Austin said that the situation on the front line is "very alarming".
According to Ria Novosti, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a hearing at the House of Representatives on February 29 (local time) that Ukraine's failure in the current conflict could lead to a direct military clash between NATO and Russia.
“Frankly, if Ukraine falls, I really think NATO will confront Russia directly,” the Pentagon chief said.
Secretary Austin called the reports on the front line "very alarming." According to him, the Russian army continues to advance into the special operations area, and is achieving success.
On the Russian side, the official spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova commented on this statement and said, "now everyone knows who the real aggressor is."
"Is this a direct threat to Russia, or an attempt to find excuses for Mr. Zelensky? Neither makes sense. But now everyone knows who the aggressor is - Washington," Maria Zakharova said on her Telegram channel.
Meanwhile, in his 2024 State of the Union address on February 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the consequences of NATO's intervention in the conflict in Ukraine "will be much more tragic".
“They started talking about the possibility of sending NATO military forces to Ukraine, but we remember the fate of those who sent their forces to our territory. And now the consequences for those who could intervene will be much more tragic,” President Putin said.
Moscow has repeatedly stressed that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has always been aimed at confrontation, but further expansion will not bring better security to Europe.
At the same time, the Kremlin stressed that Russia does not pose a threat to any NATO country, but will not ignore actions that could endanger its interests. However, the opportunity for dialogue remains open for all sides, but on an equal basis, and the West must abandon the path of militarization of the continent.
As for Western military support, Russia believes that it does not bring any benefits to Ukraine, but only prolongs the conflict, while the transportation of weapons becomes a legitimate target of the Russian army.
