NATO, Russia direct confrontation may escalate into nuclear strikes’ exchange — Lavrov

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned of the possibility of catastrophic consequences in the event of a direct clash between NATO and Russia.

"This state of affairs [regarding Europe’s course towards confrontation with Russia and further expansion] poses serious threats to global security. A direct confrontation between NATO and Russia could rapidly escalate into an exchange of nuclear strikes, with catastrophic consequences," Lavrov stated in his article ‘Ukraine, Europe and Global Security.’

This article by the Russian foreign minister was initially planned to be published in the Brussels-based "Politico-Europe," but via a last minute decision of the outlet's editorial team the publication was canceled.