Russia warns the West not to 'play with fire'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned on May 28 that the United States and its allies were “playing with fire” by increasing support for Ukraine amid the complicated conflict, including plans to transfer F-16 fighter jets to Kiev.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Source: AFP

“This is an unacceptable escalation. There are countries in the West that understand this, but everything is decided by the US, the UK and some of their satellite countries in Europe,” Lavrov said in an interview with Russia 1 TV.

According to Mr. Lavrov, it is Poland and the Baltic countries such as Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia - who are "carrying out the goal set by the US to weaken Russia, aiming to cause Moscow a strategic defeat".

The Russian diplomat warned that some Western countries “have discussed the dismemberment of our country,” but “this is like playing with fire.” Foreign Minister Lavrov noted that the assessment of the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, that “in the near future,” Ukraine will have difficulty regaining the territories lost to Russia, is a “reflection on the ground.”

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has been urging Western countries to deliver F-16 fighter jets to his country for months, saying they are vital to helping Ukraine defend its airspace amid Russia's stepped-up airstrikes on military facilities and energy infrastructure./.