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Lavrov rules out nuclear weapons use
Summary
A look back at 19 April 2022, when Moscow's foreign minister answered US allegations and Beijing signalled closer ties with Russia.
What did Russia say about nuclear weapons on 19 April 2022? Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that his country would not use them and would continue to fight with conventional weapons.
His statement came amid American allegations that Russia might resort to nuclear weapons during its invasion of Ukraine, as the Battle of Donbas was under way.
The same day, China was reported to be strengthening its strategic ties with Russia. Deputy Foreign Minister Le Yucheng confirmed Beijing's support for Russian President Putin, at a time when Russian armed forces faced accusations of war crimes over the killing of civilians.
Together, the two developments showed Moscow offering assurances on nuclear weapons while securing public backing from China.
