Russia warns of World War Three ahead of summit on sending arms to Ukraine

NATO countries pledge to send heavy weapons to Ukraine

Picture source - Reuters

Russia has cautioned of a “substantial” risk of World War Three breaking out, ahead of a Tuesday meeting between the United States and its allies regarding sending further weapons to war-torn Ukraine.

Speaking with Russian news agencies, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that the threat of a World War III “is serious” and slammed Kyiv’s approach to thrashing peace talks.

“It is real, you can’t underestimate it,” Lavrov said.

Moscow’s invasion into its neighbor has initiated a surge of support from the West with weapons being sent into the country to help it fight against Russian troops. However, Western nations have shown reluctance in scaling up their involvement, over fears of escalating the conflict with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been calling on Ukraine’s allies in the West for heavy weapons assuring that his forces could change the course of the war.

The appeals appear to be taking effect now, with multiple NATO countries promising to provide a range of heavy weapons and equipment. In a historic trip to Kyiv, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Zelenskyy and pledged US$700 million in fresh aid to Ukraine.