Sergey Lavrov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation briefed reporters on the statement made at the General Assembly, the situation in Ukraine and other topics.

Talking to reporters in New York, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today (24 Sep) said there is an open document outlining Russia’s “doctrine for nuclear security,” and invited journalists “to take another look at what explicitly sets out instances where nuclear weapons use by us would be acceptable.”

Asked about whether Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine that would be annexed to the Russian Federation as a result of a referendum currently being conducted, would fall under that doctrine, he said, “I would not here try to make any gloomy forecasts. The entire territory of the Russian Federation which is enshrined and could be further enshrined in the constitution of the Russian Federation unquestionably is under the full protection of the state. That is absolutely natural. And all of the laws, doctrines, concepts and strategies of the Russian Federation apply to all of its territory.”

Lavrov said, “the United States, and the European Union, and NATO cannot claim to have a neutral status, they cannot assert that they are not participating in the conflict. Moreover, one of those conventions I believe the Ground Rule Convention prohibits directly the establishing of recruitment points on the territory of neutral states. And you all know how the Ukrainian embassy and the consulate generals in Europe and in other countries, openly on their websites, publishing invitations to join in the holy war against Russia.”

The Russian Foreign Minister said, “all states have an obligation to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any states. Whose governments respect the principle of self-determination of peoples and whose governments represent all peoples residing on there and that was the last one.”

Screenshot Credit: UN Photo/Jaclyn Licht