Russia has cautioned the United States that allowing Ukraine to use Western-supplied missiles to strike Russian territory could dangerously escalate the conflict.
President Vladimir Putin emphasized that any such attack would prompt a significant response from Russia.
The warning follows Ukraine’s appeal to Western allies to approve the use of their weapons for long-range strikes inside Russia.
In a statement, Russia warned the U.S. and other Western nations that such actions could have severe and widespread consequences, potentially extending the conflict beyond Europe’s borders.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the West of seeking to escalate the war in Ukraine and “asking for trouble” by considering Ukraine’s requests to lift restrictions on the use of foreign-supplied weapons.
According to RT, Lavrov stated, “The American mentality is that of a master, who sits on the other coast convinced of his safety and that others will do the dirty work for him. He expects others to die for him, not just Ukrainians, but also Europeans, it appears.
“We are now confirming once again that playing with fire – and they are like small children playing with matches – is a very dangerous thing for grown-up uncles and aunts who are entrusted with nuclear weapons in one or another Western country.”
Russia reiterated the importance of restraint and diplomacy in resolving the conflict, urging all parties to seek a peaceful solution.
