Russia must use 'any means' to avoid defeat, Lavrov tells Tucker Carlson

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared that Moscow is prepared to use "any means" to avoid a "strategic defeat" in its war against Ukraine. The statement came during an 80-minute interview with American broadcaster Tucker Carlson, released alongside Lavrov's visit to a European security summit in Malta.

Lavrov accused the West of fueling a new Cold War with the risk of escalation into a "hot one." He specifically addressed the U.S. and its allies, stating that their provision of long-range weapons to Ukraine forces Russia to take decisive measures to protect its strategic interests.

Last month, Russia deployed the Oreshnik hypersonic missile against Dnipro, which President Vladimir Putin claimed was a response to Ukraine's use of Western-supplied long-range weapons within Russian territory.

Lavrov framed the conflict as a defense of Russia's "legitimate security interests," contrasting it with what he called the West's effort to maintain global hegemony. This marks the second time Carlson has interviewed a Kremlin figure; his earlier conversation with Vladimir Putin was widely criticized for its perceived leniency, sparking backlash over the lack of pressing questions on issues like war crimes.

The interview underscores escalating tensions as the conflict in Ukraine continues to draw global scrutiny.