Lavrov Warns the West: Attempting to Win a War Against a Nuclear Power is Dangerous

The Russian Foreign Minister warned Western countries during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly that ignoring proposed alternatives for peace in Ukraine is meaningless and dangerous. He emphasized that trying to 'win a war against a nuclear power' is a highly risky endeavor. Sergey Lavrov criticized Western supporters of Ukraine who back Kyiv's peace plan, stating, 'I do not want to talk about the meaninglessness and danger of trying to win a war against a nuclear power, because Russia is a nuclear power.' He referred to the 10-point peace plan proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in 2022, which was based on the UN Charter and international law, but rejected by Russia. He accused the West of seeking to inflict a 'strategic defeat' on Russia by supporting Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Minister reiterated that his country does not intend to increase its nuclear arsenal and, despite suspending participation in the New START treaty with the U.S., will adhere to the established limits until the treaty expires in 2026. He stated, 'We have suspended our participation, but we will still adhere to the specified levels in the treaty and will exchange some information with the Americans.' On Wednesday, Zelensky accused Russia during his speech at the UN General Assembly of planning potentially catastrophic attacks on Ukrainian nuclear power plants. In this speech, which preceded his important meeting with Joe Biden at the White House, he urged the world to increase its support for Ukraine. The Biden administration has promised to provide new military aid to Ukraine. In another part of his speech, Lavrov addressed Middle Eastern tensions and criticized U.S. support for Israel amid its conflict with Hezbollah and war with Hamas in Gaza. He described the killing of the Hezbollah leader by Israel as 'political assassination' and expressed concern that Israel is seeking to provoke Iran into direct conflict. He added, 'My impression is that some are trying to provoke Iran so that the United States will also be drawn into this conflict, ultimately leading to a widespread war across the region.' Lavrov also praised Iran's leadership for its 'responsible behavior' in response to these provocations and called for an end to bloodshed and the abandonment of terrorist methods to resolve political disputes.