Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his refusal to supply Ukraine with long-range "Taurus" missiles, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
At a press conference within the framework of the G-20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Lavrov defined as "responsible" Scholz's position, which he has maintained for months despite Kiev's pleas.
Russia's top diplomat noted that Scholz is under pressure not only from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but also from members of his own ruling coalition, as well as from the conservative opposition in Germany.
Lavrov noted as an "indisputable fact" that Scholz's position puts him in confrontation with others in Europe, including the leaders of Great Britain and France.
Meanwhile, Zelensky said Putin's new nuclear doctrine, which lowers the threshold for using nuclear weapons, means it's time for Scholz to reconsider his position on the Taurus missiles, which have a range of about 500 kilometers.
Scholz ruled out the possibility of delivering them to Kiev regardless of the decisions taken by the NATO allies, arguing that this would create a serious risk of escalation of the conflict.