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Diplomat: Russia has done everything possible to avoid armed conflict with US

A prominent Russian diplomat emphasized that by strengthening its defense capabilities, Moscow has done its utmost to avoid an armed conflict with the United States

MOSCOW, March 2. /TASS/. By strengthening its defense capabilities, Moscow has made every possible effort to avoid an armed conflict with Washington, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Govorit Moskva radio station on Friday.

"This is what yesterday’s address was about," she said. "Everything has been done to prevent it," Zakharova said when asked if direct armed conflict between Russia and the United States was possible.

According to the Russian diplomat, all Moscow’s efforts to engage Washington in talks went in vain. "We are ready for a different kind of conversation. It will not be based on requests and explanations of threats to our security. We will conduct the conversation from a totally different position," Zakharova said.

Russian president’s address

In his Thursday’s address to the Federal Assembly, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia had developed and tested new strategic weapons in response to Washington’s unilateral withdrawal from the missile defense agreement and the deployment of missile defenses both on the US territory and in other countries.

The new weapons particularly include the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, the Kinzhal hypersonic complex, a nuclear cruise missile, as well as an underwater drone capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons.

At the same time, the head of state stressed that Russia’s growing military capabilities were a strong guarantee of global peace, while all activities aimed at strengthening the country’s defense capacity were in line with the current arms control agreements.