Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov: 'Not talking to each other is a sin'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was always ready to negotiate a deal, but always received a refusal.
According to RIA Novosti, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov delivered a speech at the United Nations General Assembly session in New York on September 27 (Washington time). Traditionally, Mr. Lavrov mentioned a series of international issues, detailed and related to the norms of world law, conveying Moscow's position.
At a session marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed the role of the UN as a guarantor of stability. But, Mr Lavrov warned, "widespread serious violations of the principle of equality" undermine trust in the world.
The Russian Foreign Minister said that "violations of basic principles take place with the collusion and active participation of the West", especially recalling the bombing of Yugoslavia, the US invasion of Iraq, the overthrow of the Libyan regime and from current events - the war in the Gaza Strip, which threaten all world stability.
“The West is not accustomed to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs,” Lavrov said. Among the instruments of influence are still “color revolutions” and unilateral sanctions, which have become tools to weaken competitors. Such measures should not be applied.
Regarding the topic of Ukraine, Foreign Minister Lavrov said: "The Kiev authorities have carried out the elimination of the Russian language in all areas," clarifying that such tactics contradict the UN Charter. "Today, Ukraine is the only country in the world that prohibits its citizens from speaking their native language," Lavrov said.
According to Mr. Lavrov, with the declared goal of "causing a strategic defeat for Russia," the West allows the Ukrainian government to do everything. But he declared, Moscow has no intention of putting up with this.
The Russian Foreign Minister affirmed that Moscow is still ready for negotiations, but at least on the condition that the rights of Russian speakers in the territories controlled by Ukraine must be fully restored.
Mr. Lavrov confirmed that Russia has no intention of engaging in a conflict with NATO, attacking countries that are members of the military alliance. In return, the bloc continues to expand, despite commitments made in the last century. Mr. Lavrov gave examples of European countries calling on citizens to “tighten their belts” for militarization purposes, and openly discussing an attack on Russia’s Kaliningrad region.
"But any aggression against our country will be met with a decisive response. There should be no doubt about this," the Russian Foreign Minister declared.
At the same time, Mr. Lavrov also pointed out positive signs of change. "We associate certain hopes with the continuation of the Russia-US dialogue, promoting the results achieved from the summit in Alaska," said the Russian Foreign Minister.
Giving an example, Lavrov said that among the initiatives proposed by Moscow to Washington is the extension of the Strategic Offensive Arms Limitation Treaty, which expires in 2026 – for at least a year. This, Lavrov believes, will lead to “an improvement in the overall atmosphere.”
Responding to a question about EU statements about a real “hybrid war” with Russia, Lavrov recalled the recent incident with a Russian drone in Poland. Moscow offered to find out calmly, but Warsaw did not join the dialogue. And this is one of many examples where the Russian Foreign Minister pointed out that the West generally does not want detailed investigations,
"But we are always open to honest conversation. Not talking to each other is a sin," the Russian Foreign Minister said, taking into account the context of Russia-US relations.
"When the interests of the United States and Russia do not coincide, the main thing is to prevent this from turning into a clash" - the Russian Foreign Minister expressed confidence.
