Risks of direct Russia-NATO clash are increasing, senior Russian diplomat says

May 19, 2026 5:41 AM EDT

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov attends a press conference in Moscow, Russia November 26, 2025. REUTERS/Anastasia Barashkova

MOSCOW, May ‌19 (Reuters) - A ​senior ​Russian diplomat warned on Tuesday that ‌the risks of a direct ⁠clash between Russia and the ‌NATO military alliance are ‌increasing, and that the consequences could be catastrophic.

In an ​interview with the TASS state news agency, Deputy ⁠Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said there ​was a growing narrative in European capitals about the "looming ​threat of a ‌high-intensity war" with Russia.

"As a result of ⁠this escalation of tensions, including blatantly provocative actions in ⁠the nuclear sphere, strategic risks are ​mounting, as is the danger of a head-on clash between NATO and ‌our country, with all the potentially catastrophic ‌consequences that would entail," ⁠Ryabkov told ‌TASS.

(Reporting by ​Reuters; Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Mark ‌Trevelyan)



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