In an interview with Russian television, Lavrov blamed Ukraine for the deadlock in talks between the two countries and accused the United States and Britain of pressuring Kyiv not to reach an agreement.

“The whole world is reciting incantations that in no case can we allow a Third World War,” Lavrov said, accusing Ukrainian leaders of provoking Russia by asking NATO to get involved in the conflict.

By providing weapons, NATO forces are “pouring gasoline on the fire,” he said, according to a Russian-language transcript posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry website.

Lavrov reportedly made the remarks after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the US wants “to see Russia weakened to the point where it can’t do things like invading Ukraine .”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that only talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin could lead to a solution.

Russia expels German diplomats

MOSCOW – Russia has expelled 40 German diplomats in response to a similar move by Germany.

The Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Monday that it had summoned German ambassador Géza Andreas von Geyr to express “our strong protest against the hostile decision” to expel Russian diplomats.

He added that von Geyr had been told that 40 employees of German embassies in Russia would be declared persona non grata.

Germany announced the expulsion of 40 Russian diplomats on April 4 following evidence of atrocities committed by Russian soldiers in Bucha, a suburb of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital.

Moscow says the US is trying to ‘divide Russian society

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the United States and its allies of trying to “divide Russian society.”

Speaking Monday at a meeting with senior officials at the Prosecutor General’s office, Putin said Russia has been subjected to “unprecedented Western sanctions.”

He denounced that the United States and its allies have tried to “divide Russian society and destroy Russia from within”, adding that their plans have failed.

Putin urged Russian prosecutors to act more quickly to block unauthorized demonstrations organized from abroad. He also noted that they should focus on exposing “open provocations” against the Russian military that allegedly involve international media and social media.

Zelenskyy and the talks with the US

KYIV, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy describes talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin as “encouraging” and “effective”.

In a video message on Monday, he said the United States offers “powerful” support to his country. Zelenskyy added that they had agreed on “new steps to strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces and to cover all the priority needs of our army.” He noted that there had also been talking of tightening sanctions against Moscow.

Blinken and Austin announced that the United States has approved a $165 million ammunition sale for the Ukraine campaign, as well as more than $300 million in foreign military funding.

Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine expects the United States to lead other allies in providing security guarantees going forward.

The president also criticized Russia for carrying out attacks on Orthodox Easter Sunday, which he described as “deliberate destruction of life in Ukraine .”

Russian army announces humanitarian corridor in Mariupol

MOSCOW — The Russian military announces it will open a humanitarian corridor for civilians to evacuate the besieged steel plant in Mariupol.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that at 1100 GMT (2:00 p.m. local time) it would open a humanitarian corridor for all civilians to leave the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. Russian troops will hold the fire to allow civilians to leave the plant safely, he added.

The huge complex, which has a labyrinthine system of tunnels, has been the last stronghold of the Ukrainian resistance in the strategic port city on the Sea of Azov.

Ukrainian authorities have said that up to 1,000 civilians have taken shelter there. They have repeatedly called for Russian forces to provide them with a safe exit.