Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's answers to questions from the Moscow.Kremlin.Putin TV show, March 15, 2023
15 March 2023 20:20
478-15-03-2023
Question: Could you comment on the recent US drone incident?
Sergey Lavrov: Our military have given their assessment which was related by our ambassador in Washington Anatoly Antonov. He explained to journalists and others how we see it from a global security standpoint. He was summoned to the US State Department, where he was presented with totally unfounded claims about violations of the freedom of air. You have heard the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff saying that the United States will continue to fly wherever it pleases "in accordance with international law." But if we follow this logic, the space around the US has the same status as the space over the Black Sea.
In doing so, they completely ignore the fact that after the start of the special military operation our military declared the relevant areas of the Black Sea adjacent to the shore in certain places to have a restricted status for the use of any aircraft. The defiant disregard for this objective fact suggests that the United States is constantly trying to create some kind of provocation to fuel confrontational thinking. This is not good. They constantly say that they are a responsible power interested in strategic stability. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told me this at the meeting in India. But their words are at odds with their deeds.
Question: What does it imply for global security?
Sergey Lavrov: As far as global security is concerned, any incident that triggers a clash between two of the great, major nuclear powers carries very serious risks. They surely realise this.
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