Source: RTThe statement by US defense chief Lloyd Austin shows who the real aggressor is, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman saidA claim by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that NATO and Russia could end up in a direct confrontation if Kiev loses its conflict with Moscow is “mad,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.During a US House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, Austin suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin “won’t stop” if his forces prevail against Ukraine. Russia’s neighbors in the Baltic region “understand Putin and his capabilities. And frankly, if Ukraine falls, I genuinely believe NATO will be fighting Russia,” the Pentagon chief said.In a post on Telegram later in the day, Zakharova said she wondered whether Austin’s remarks were “a direct threat to Russia or an attempt to come up with an excuse for [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky?”“In both cases, it’s mad,” she insisted. “But now everyone sees who the aggressor is – it’s Washington.”The Pentagon chief’s statement came as Republican lawmakers continue to resist attempts by the administration of US President Joe Biden to push through another $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine. Several lawmakers are demanding that assistance to Kiev be paired with measures to secure the border with Mexico.US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who visited Kiev last week, said Ukraine is currently “losing the war” to Russia. According to Schumer, Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials made it clear to him that “if they don’t get the aid, they will surely lose the war.”On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron hinted that NATO forces could be sent to Ukraine if the situation for Kiev continues to deteriorate. There is “no consensus” among the US-led bloc’s members about deploying troops in Ukraine, but “in terms of dynamics, we cannot exclude anything. We will do everything necessary to prevent Russia from winning this war,” he pledged.In the days since then, the US, Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany and other NATO members have distanced themselves from Macron’s remarks, stressing that there are no plans to use the bloc’s forces in Ukraine.In his address to the Federal Assembly on Thursday, Putin again rejected speculation by the US and its allies that Russia might target NATO states. “The West provoked the conflict in Ukraine... and they continue to lie. Now, without any shame, they say that Russia supposedly intends to attack Europe. We here understand that it’s nonsense,” he stressed.------------------------------Pentagon warns of direct Russia-NATO clashSource: RTThe US defense secretary calls for additional funding for Kiev’s war effort before it’s too lateUS Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has warned eastern NATO members to prepare to fight Russia, claiming that Moscow “will not stop” if it defeats Kiev’s forces.Addressing the US House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, Austin once again urged lawmakers to approve additional funding for Kiev’s war effort, painting a grim picture for NATO allies.”If you are a Baltic state, you are really worried about whether you are next… And, frankly, if Ukraine falls, I really believe that NATO will be in a fight with Russia,” the Pentagon chief said.Austin went on to claim that “other autocrats around the world will look at this and will be encouraged by the fact that this happened and we failed to support a democracy.”Washington quickly became Kiev’s top backer after Russia launched its military operation in 2022, but the $45 billion war chest has been spent and US assistance all but ground to a halt after Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive failed to make any significant gains.President Vladimir Zelensky reportedly warned last week that his country would “surely lose the war” without continued US support, as a new $60 billion aid package for Kiev faces gridlock in Congress amid Republican opposition.The US military is considering whether to draw on its last remaining $4 billion allocated for Ukraine – even with no assurances the money will be replaced by lawmakers amid fierce debate over renewed aid, multiple officials told CNN.Russia has repeatedly denounced Western arms shipments to Ukraine, warning that they will only prolong the conflict and make the West a direct participant in the hostilities, and stating that all Western-supplied arms would “burn” on the battlefield.-------------------------------------------------------------------Related Links: West flirting with nuclear war – PutinPentagon warns of direct Russia-NATO clashUK ‘directly involved’ in Ukraine conflict – KremlinMacron stands by remarks on NATO troops in UkraineGermany has prepared Russia-NATO conflict scenario – BildPrepare for conflict with Russia in five years – German general NATO-Russia confrontation ‘could last decades’ – Stoltenberg

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