Putin's mouthpieces warn Europe to face ‘catastrophic consequences’ if war ecalates
Russian diplomats have accused the United States of exacerbating the conflict by supplying arms to Ukraine.
Russian army sends tank on beach in Tyumen
As NATO leaders are gathering for a summit focused on Ukraine's prospects for joining the military alliance, Russia has issued a stern warning about the potential fallout of an escalated war in the region.
Moscow, citing NATO's eastward expansion as a primary catalyst for its invasion of Ukraine over a year ago, has expressed concerns over Ukraine's potential accession to the alliance, stating that it would pose a direct threat to Russia's security.
In a recent interview with Russia's RIA state news agency, Konstantin Gavrilov, a senior Russian security negotiator based in Vienna, cautioned that Europe would be the first to face "catastrophic consequences" if the war were to further intensify.
However, Gavrilov did not provide specific details regarding the nature of these consequences. He also criticised the United States for pursuing an agenda aimed at weakening and undermining Russia, emphasising that Europe's fate is of little interest to Washington.
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He said: “Let’s look at the facts - the fate of Europe is of little interest to the United States."
Echoing his warning, Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, accused Washington of adopting an "anti-Russian" stance at the Vilnius summit and alleged that efforts were being made to shape public opinion in favour of anti-Russian decisions.
Meanwhile, Alexander Tokovinin, Russia's ambassador to Belgium, claimed that NATO's comprehensive defence plans against Moscow would only exacerbate tensions between the alliance and Russia.
While differences among NATO allies over Ukraine's bid for membership have been narrowing, it is unlikely that an invitation will be extended while the conflict persists. Despite the Ukrainian military's recent counteroffensive, which has progressed slower than anticipated, it claimed on Monday to have trapped Russian troops in the devastated eastern city of Bakhmut.