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Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has issued a stark warning that the West would face "catastrophic consequences" if it chooses direct confrontation with Russia and compromises its security. In an interview with the Izvestia daily, as carried by TASS, Ryabkov framed the warning as a choice between escalation and common sense.
"Is the line toward a direct head-on collision with us being consolidated? This would inevitably be fraught with catastrophic consequences for those who would thus encroach on our security. Or will common sense prevail and an understanding emerge that we need to lower the temperature?" he said.
Coverage comparison
TASS, which compiled Ryabkov's main statements from the interview, focused its coverage on the warning's implications for the West. The Russian state news agency's report highlighted NATO's posture and European defense preparations, as well as the diplomat's remarks on potential Ukraine agreements and the continuing line of communication between Moscow and Washington.
Both TASS articles drew directly from the same interview, with one report organizing Ryabkov's comments thematically and the other reproducing his key quotations. The agency's coverage underlined the cautionary tone of the diplomat's message and the Kremlin's assertion that Western actions are driving the current tensions.
Key claims
Ryabkov accused NATO of publicly adopting a "super aggressive posture" toward Russia, asserting that the idea of the alliance as a defensive bloc is no longer credible. "The discourse that NATO is a defensive alliance can mislead no one. This discourse is far behind us, even abandoned by NATO members themselves," he was quoted as saying.
He also warned that if NATO moves to develop the Baltic states militarily, Russia would respond with countermeasures. "If they go as far as developing the territories neighboring us (and the Baltic region in general is in the center of our attention), there will be countermeasures. And the security of these countries will, so to speak, weaken," Ryabkov said, adding that those "playing these 'games' and trying to frighten us only damage themselves."
On the subject of potential agreements on Ukraine, Ryabkov said that any deals between Russia and Europe should "align with the framework agreed upon by [Russian] President Vladimir Putin and [his US counterpart] Donald Trump in Anchorage." He emphasized that Russia would not back down from its demand that all agreements reached in Anchorage must be implemented.
Russia is also watching European discussions about who might represent the EU in potential negotiations, although Ryabkov described this as "a classic case of rushing things." He said Moscow is monitoring the EU's discussions "with great interest."
Additionally, Ryabkov pointed to Germany, France, and other European nations as the pioneers in what he described as poorly concealed preparations for a large-scale conflict with Russia. "These alarming issues fit into the framework of the poorly concealed preparations of the collective West (in particular, the European Union, which claims strategic autonomy) to unleash a large-scale conflict with Russia at the turn of the 2030s, which we are openly talking about," he said. He warned that Moscow is cautioning the European Union against "fatal mistakes."
TASS also reported that communication between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio continues and can be organized promptly, according to Ryabkov.