UPDATE - Kiev's Statements On Possible War With Russia Not Worthy Of Attention - Lavrov

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th September, 2021) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday that statements by Ukrainian officials on the possibility of war with Russia are not worthy of attention and have a clear russophobic message.

Earlier on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there is a possibility of full-on war with Russia, but that would be "the biggest mistake" on Russia's part. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed regret at the president's statement.

"I do not think that these statements deserve any attention. We are used to these unfounded statements, imbued with russophobia... We always reiterate our willingness to revive normal relations with Ukraine, because the Ukrainian people are very close to us, fraternal," Lavrov stated at the XXV Forum of Modern Journalism "All Russia-2021".

Kiev uses the obsession with its NATO membership to distract Ukrainians from internal problems, the minister added.

"They have a total mess with the economy and social services, with tariffs, and such bellicose rhetoric that 'we are in Europe, we are the leaders of Europe, we need to join NATO, we have long sat in this antebellum', it probably distracts voters, creates some interesting news, from their point of view," Lavrov said.

The Russian minister mentioned that "NATO colleagues" should understand that they should not throw around promises to include a country into the alliance as they did in 2008, claiming that Georgia and Ukraine would be in NATO.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasized the brotherhood between the two nations and devoted an article to it penned by himself, which was published in mid-July and drew considerable public attention.