Russia warns of World War III ahead of Western summit on arms to Ukraine
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warns US and its allies against arming Ukraine
- US will host a security summit of more than 40 countries in Germany from Tuesday
Russia has warned of the “real” threat of World War III breaking out, ahead of a Tuesday meeting between the United States and allies over sending further arms to war-torn Ukraine.
Moscow’s invasion of its neighbour has triggered an outburst of support from Western nations that has seen weapons pour into the country to help it wage war against Russian troops.
But Western powers have been reluctant to deepen their involvement, for fear of sparking a conflict against nuclear-armed Russia.
Speaking to Russian news agencies, Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned the risk of a World War III “is serious” and criticised Kyiv’s approach to floundering peace talks
“It is real, you can’t underestimate it,” Lavrov said.
For months, President Volodymyr Zelensky has been asking Ukraine’s Western allies for heavy weapons – including artillery and fighter jets – vowing his forces could turn the tide of the war with more firepower.