Merz's statements on Ukraine prove his decision to set course towards militarization of Germany - Lavrov

KUALA LUMPUR. July 11 (Interfax) - German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz's statements alleging the exhaustion of options for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis prove that the incumbent German administration has made a final decision to set course towards militarization of Germany, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

"If Mr. Merz believes that peaceful options have been exhausted, then he might have decided to fully dedicate himself to militarization of Germany at the expense of his people, just to prance around again under Nazi slogans to repel the threats coming from Russia," Lavrov told journalists after ASEAN events in Kuala Lumpur.

"That is totally absurd. I hope that any sober-minded politician understands that," Lavrov said.

"President Putin has repeatedly that this absurdity aims to keep the people in submission and do not allow protests, which, actually, inevitably stem from the worsening socioeconomic situation, to break out," he said.