Russian Foreign Minister rejects new US defense strategy
Foreign Minister Lavrov has criticized the new US National Defense Strategy, describing it as "confrontational," after Washington identified China and Russia as increasingly serious threats.
At a press conference held on the sidelines of a United Nations Security Council meeting on January 19, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized a series of recent moves by the US administration in the foreign affairs field.
He rejected US arguments that China and Russia were undermining international efforts to strengthen global security.
Instead of using the basis of international law, Washington is actually trying to demonstrate its leadership through such confrontational strategies and concepts, Mr. Lavrov stressed.
Regarding the Syrian war, the Russian Foreign Minister accused the US of refusing to establish local forces in northern Syria but seeking to establish "new executive bodies" in many places, contrary to its commitment to maintaining Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
On the Iran issue, Mr. Lavrov warned that the Iran nuclear deal cannot survive if the US unilaterally withdraws. According to Mr. Lavrov, the US will try to convince European countries to adopt a similar view of Washington. Mr. Lavrov affirmed that the Iran nuclear deal cannot be renegotiated, especially according to the US's demands. The Russian Foreign Minister believes that European countries understand this danger.
In addition, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry also criticized the US freezing a contribution to the UN agency specializing in assisting Palestinians, saying this move seriously harms efforts to meet the needs of Palestinian refugees in the region./.
