MANILA /Philippines/, July 22. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced that he will meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on July 23.

He noted that information about the current German government's intention to gain access to nuclear weapons is alarming. According to Lavrov, sentiment in a number of countries about the need to possess nuclear weapons for self-defense will grow following the US and Israeli aggression against Iran.

He also stated that the US is not simply assisting, but directly participating in the targeting of Ukrainian weapons at civilian facilities in Russia.

TASS has compiled Lavrov's key statements.

Meeting with the US Secretary of State

A meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been agreed upon and will take place on the morning of July 23: "The meeting has already been agreed upon. We met briefly with Marco Rubio yesterday at a reception and confirmed that it will take place tomorrow morning."

"I hope we will have the opportunity to inform you of our impressions."

The meeting with Rubio will be "useful in any case": "It's better to ask questions directly and receive answers."

Lavrov will ask Rubio for clarifications of President Donald Trump's statements about the possibility of a quick resolution to the conflict in Ukraine: "Regarding Trump's prediction of an imminent settlement, I will ask Marco Rubio tomorrow."

Ukrainian Settlement

Moscow assumes that Washington has not yet abandoned the proposals put forward at the meeting between Russian and US Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in Anchorage: "We assume that, at least for now, our American colleagues have not revoked their own proposals, which were voiced in Anchorage and which are now well known to everyone."

The US is not simply assisting, but directly participating in, the targeting of Ukrainian weapons at facilities in Russia, including civilian ones: "But of all people, the Americans, through arms supplies funded by the European Union and through the provision of intelligence - the Starlink system and much more - are not simply assisting, but directly participating in the targeting of Ukrainian weapons at facilities, including civilian ones, on Russian territory."

Black Sea Initiative

Russia has not received any proposals to renew the Black Sea Initiative, also known as the grain deal: "When asked about the Black Sea Initiative, the answer is short: there were no proposals."

The UN played a "not very benign role" in the Black Sea initiative; it was implemented unilaterally and in the interests of Ukraine: "The experience of this initiative by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shows that it was unilateral. The principles agreed upon for its implementation were implemented exclusively in the interests of the Ukrainian side. The UN played a not very benign role here."

Militarization of Europe

"I'm not ruling anything out. I don't know their plans, but they're such ambitious guys. We won't even try to speculate on that topic right now. All these plans are clear."

Russia is prepared for any development in the context of the EU militarization: "We are drawing the appropriate conclusions not only analytically, so to speak, but also in terms of our material preparedness for any scenario."

Russia has no intention of attacking anyone, but if the EU tries to attack it, it will no longer be a conventional war: "Vladimir Putin was asked about the EU's preparations for war, and he very clearly answered that we have no intention of attacking anyone, but if they, having once again gathered all of Europe under certain banners, try to attack us, it will no longer be a conventional war. It will be a different kind of war."

Conflict over Iran

"It's hard to speculate" about how long the conflict over Iran will last.

Continuing hostilities around the Strait of Hormuz is not in the interests of either Washington or Tehran: "I have the feeling that continuing hostilities is not in the interests of either the United States or Iran."

Moscow wants the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz to end and is not supplying Tehran with weapons; speculations to the contrary are simply "embarrassing to hear": "We want this to stop. It affects the global economy, and Russia is part of the global economy."

Russia has no interest in destabilizing global energy markets due to the conflict over Iran: "Some say that Russia should be rubbing its hands with glee because oil prices are already above $90. The Russian president has also spoken on this topic - we are interested in stable energy prices on global markets so that we can build our economic policy in the long term."

US and Israeli aggression against Iran has led some political circles in Iran to advocate for a military nuclear program: "When Israel and the US launched their aggression against Iran, the IAEA made no comments regarding the state of Iran's peaceful nuclear program. The IAEA has consistently confirmed that there are no signs of this program being diverted to military purposes. Now, after the aggression against Iran was unleashed, I have no doubt that political circles have emerged that will defend the narrative that 'we abandoned the military component of the nuclear program, and now we're under attack, they want to destroy us, change the regime,' and much more."

Reconsidering Nuclear Principles Around the World

Reports about the current German government's intention to gain access to nuclear weapons is alarming: "As for Germany, this information comes from our Foreign Intelligence Service, it has been published, and we are responsible for it. This is truly alarming, considering that, for example, the American nuclear program was largely created by those who fled Germany and were taken out to the US. This memory is not fading."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's statement about the possibility of reconsidering the country's three non-nuclear principles is a serious signal: "I’ve heard what Prime Minister Takaichi said when she stated that it was time to reconsider the three principles enshrined in the Japanese Constitution: not to produce, not to possess, and not to deploy nuclear weapons on the territory of that country. Of course, this is a serious signal."

This signal "echoes developments in the neighborhood, specifically the Republic of Korea and the United States, which regularly conduct - and with growing intensity - military exercises with the gradual introduction of a nuclear component."

Sentiment in a number of countries about the need to possess nuclear weapons for self-defense will grow following the US and Israeli aggression against Iran: "Now, I think, many will look at the example of Iran and previous examples, and the movement toward the idea that only nuclear weapons can, to the extent possible, guarantee freedom and independence will grow. I'm saying this with great regret, because this is one of the consequences of the aggressive actions that the US and a number of its allies are attempting to implement in global politics, trying to maintain their dominance."

The Right to Civil Nuclear Power

As a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Saudi Arabia does not require US permission to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes: "It was just announced that the US - it was worded very strangely, indeed - has 'permitted' Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium. Permission is not required, because enriching uranium for peaceful uses is the right of any state party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty."

The Situation on the Korean Peninsula

Common sense must prevail in Washington and its allies regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula: "Common sense must prevail, and we very much hope so, because escalating tensions and abandoning all the understandings reached on the six-party platform regarding the Korean Peninsula will lead to quite serious escalations." Russia and North Korea confirmed their intention to maintain their commitment to strengthening Pyongyang's defense capabilities amid aggressive maneuvers around the Korean Peninsula.

Cooperation with ASEAN

The foreign ministers of Russia and ASEAN discussed the creation of a new financial system resilient to Western abuses: "We discussed the need to reform the international monetary, financial, and trading systems to protect countries from unilateral, illegitimate sanctions, tariffs, and other abuses of the West's position in the global financial and trading system."

Plans call for doubling the current trade turnover between Russia and ASEAN countries by 2036: "Our trade turnover consistently exceeds $20 billion. Last year, it was around $22 billion, and there is an opportunity, as we discussed today, to double this figure by 2036, primarily through the development of a platform economy, cooperation in high-tech and innovative industries, and space exploration. All of these areas are outlined in the declaration adopted in Kazan."

There is no doubt that the agreements reached between Russia and ASEAN in Kazan regarding settlements in national currencies will be implemented: "Therefore, I will not say that the probability is high; they will be implemented, and there is no doubt about that."

Moscow feels that most ASEAN countries understand Russia's position on the settlement in Ukraine: "We feel that most countries understand it, and this is reflected in their position, particularly at the UN."