Foreign Minister Lavrov: The Pentagon is proving that the US plans to create a clash between NATO and Russia
(Baonghean.vn) - US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, by declaring that NATO and Russia could clash if Ukraine is defeated, has shown that the US has such a plan, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a diplomatic conference in Antalya (Türkiye).
"The meaning of this statement is that if Ukraine loses, NATO will have to fight Russia. He blurted out what was on his mind. Before that, everyone said: We cannot let Ukraine lose, because Putin will not be satisfied and will take the Baltics, Poland, Finland, but it turns out, according to Mr. Austin's clear, public statements, everything is exactly the opposite. We do not and cannot have such plans, but the Americans do, because they feel like Europe is moving away from them," Minister Lavrov affirmed.
According to Mr. Lavrov, Europe is now the main victim of the US policy of "pulling Ukraine into NATO." The Russian Foreign Minister said: "All the burdens have been shifted to Europe. People are living in increasingly worse conditions, energy prices have increased many times more than what would have happened if the Americans had not blown up the Nord Stream gas pipeline."
Mr. Lavrov said the situation surrounding Ukraine was created by Washington to ensure that the European Union (EU) did not become too strong a rival to the US economy.
"And this goal has been achieved. Europe is no longer a competitor to the United States. All the main businesses and production are moving to the United States, where the conditions are completely different and the energy is much cheaper," Lavrov said.
Secretary Austin previously said he believed "NATO would fight Russia" if Ukraine was defeated. The US defense secretary made this statement at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee.
