MOSCOW, June 21. /TASS/. Aggressive policies by the United States and NATO, leading towards an ever-deeper involvement in military confrontation, can result in a direct clash between nuclear powers, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a news briefing on Wednesday.

"The greatest danger is that with the aggressive policies of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia in the Ukrainian conflict they have provoked themselves the United States and NATO continue to raise the stakes and become drawn ever deeper into military confrontation. It is obvious that such a policy, which we qualify as reckless, is capable of leading to a direct armed clash between nuclear powers," she said. "I think there is no need to explain once again the essence of the strategic risks that arise in this connection and the potentially catastrophic nature of further developments of events according to the worst-case scenario."

Zakharova said that Russia was fully aware of the seriousness of the situation and "systematically sends sobering signals to the Western countries."

"The problem, however, is that the West is simply obsessed with anti-Russian hysteria and a total hybrid war against our country. It shows no willingness to adequately perceive our position. The entire responsibility for the further degradation of the situation lies with the Western capitals. For our part we can only firmly reiterate that Russia is determined to defend its security interests and we would not recommend the West to doubt this," Zakharova concluded.