US State Department responds to Lavrov’s threats with advice to withdraw Russian troops from Ukraine
Photo: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (getty images)
The US State Department has responded to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks regarding Russia's red lines. The statement pertained to US plans to supply Ukraine with extended-range JASSM missiles, according to Ukrinform and Interfax.
A Russian journalist asked US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller to comment on Lavrov's statement during a briefing.
Miller stated that US support for Ukraine is a reaction to the illegal war that Russia has waged against the country. He added that if Russia wants to cease actions against its soldiers, the most effective way to achieve this would be to end the war and withdraw from Ukraine.
Lavrov specifically urged the US not to joke about Russia's red lines while considering the issue of supplying missiles to Ukraine.
"However, they should understand that one should not joke about our “red lines.” They know their location very well," Lavrov said.
It is worth noting that recently President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared that no such red lines exist for Russia. This concept crumbled after Ukrainian forces began controlling parts of the Kursk region.
Russia periodically threatens the use of nuclear weapons if its red lines are breached. These lines have been violated repeatedly, with the latest infraction being Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region of Russia. However, these threats have not deterred Western partners, who continue to delay providing Ukraine with the necessary weaponry for victory.
