https://en.sputniknews.africa/20240118/highlights-from-russian-foreign-minister-lavrovs-end-year-press-conference-1064678540.html
Highlights From Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's Year-End Press Conference
Highlights From Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's Year-End Press Conference
Sputnik Africa
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a large-scale press conference where he assessed the foreign policy events of the past year. The... 18.01.2024, Sputnik Africa
2024-01-18T16:13+0100
2024-01-18T16:13+0100
2024-01-18T17:26+0100
sergey lavrov
russia
ukraine
middle east
brics
sputnik africa
volodymyr zelensky
rishi sunak
united states (us)
north atlantic treaty organization (nato)
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Following Russia's top diplomat Sergey Lavrov's press conference, Sputnik Africa highlights the minister's key statements on the above issues.Ukraine Faces the Fate of AfghanistanThe issue of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the involvement of Western countries in it became the biggest topic of the conference.The actions of the West in pressuring Ukraine to launch long-range missiles into Russian territory and into Crimea indicate that the West does not seek a constructive solution to the conflict and only wants to escalate the conflict further, without listening to Russia's concerns.Commenting on the political life in Ukraine, Lavrov said that Russia is not concerned about it, noting that the West wants to have more flexibility in Ukraine's leadership and therefore strongly recommends Zelensky to hold the presidential elections he had previously canceled because he wanted to "cling to power as much as possible."Apart from that, last week in Kiev British Prime Minister Sunak and Zelensky signed the security cooperation agreement. Lavrov also commented on this issue, saying that he is familiar with the content of the document.The minister also recalled that about a few months ago, there were discussions in the West about whether Ukraine should join the European Union or NATO — and not everyone was in favor of it. As a result, it was decided that Kiev would conclude separate agreements with Western countries, which Lavrov called "a semi-finished product."Furthermore, the official emphasized that the claims that Russia and Ukraine have initiated negotiations in Geneva are "just rumors," adding that it is necessary to talk with the West about the end of the conflict and its conditions.However, according to Lavrov, the West is not interested in negotiations with Russia, and it is Washington that gives Kiev the order not to sign the peace treaty.Nevertheless, Lavrov assured that, despite all the machinations of the West, Russia will achieve the goals of the special military operation in Ukraine, adding that “there is no hope that Russia will be defeated in any way.”The Russian Foreign Minister also pointed out that Zelensky “lied to the international community” at the World Economic Forum in Davos about the events around Ukraine after 2014. Moreover, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French President Francois Hollande admitted that they signed the Minsk agreements only to prepare Ukraine for war.Lavrov also stated that Ukraine is "blackmailing" and endangering civilians by deploying its air defense systems close to the civilian infrastructure. According to the minister, the Kiev regime basically turns civilians into human shields, which is "strictly prohibited by international humanitarian law."Moreover, according to the minister, Kiev feels permissiveness in everything, even in the torture of Americans, but this is a "path to disaster."In light of the recent death of an American blogger in a Ukrainian prison, the diplomat advised Western politicians to read the laws adopted in Ukraine before talking about Kiev “defending democracy.” BRICS Symbolizes Abundance of the Multipolar WorldAnother important topic of the press conference was African-Russian relations and the development of BRICS.The minister noted that about 30 countries are interested in rapprochement with BRICS and that the bloc has a very bright future. For its part, Russia, which is chairing the organization this year, will pay attention to the seamless integration of the new BRICS members into the group.Furthermore, Russia will do everything possible to ensure that foreign participants in the BRICS Games and the Intervision Song Contest will fully experience Russian hospitality.Commenting on Argentina's refusal to join BRICS, Lavrov said that it was a sovereign decision of this country.Speaking about relations between Russia and Africa, some of whose countries are members of BRICS, Lavrov emphasized that Moscow is taking its partnership with African countries to a truly strategic level.US-UK Strikes on Yemen 'Trampled' International LawThe unfolding crisis in Yemen also did not go unnoticed by the minister.According to Lavrov, the US and the UK "trampled" on the norms of international law by launching their strikes on the territory of Yemen. The minister called this lawlessness beyond the framework of the UN resolution.The minister compared the “lawlessness” committed against Yemen to the actions of Western countries against Libya, which was “bombed and turned into a black hole.”Speaking about conflict resolution, Lavrov said that it is now difficult to assess the possibility of resuming diplomatic contacts to resolve the Yemeni crisis. The most important thing now is to stop the US and the UK strikes on the Houthis, because the more the US and UK bomb the country, the less the Houthis will be willing to negotiate.Resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian ConflictThe top Russian diplomat revealed that Russia is aware of semi-closed contacts on the Palestinian-Israeli settlement with the participation of the United States, Israel and some Arab states, but they will not be successful. He stressed that peace in the Middle East conflict can be achieved only through direct dialogue.The minister added that Moscow is ready to take an active part in resolving the crisis.In addition, speaking about the beginning of the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Lavrov said that Moscow expected Israel's response to the Hamas attack on October 7 in accordance with democratic principles, adding that Moscow considers the Hamas attack on civilians unacceptable.Lavrov also stressed that Israel should not think that because of the past horrors of World War II, the Jewish State is allowed to do anything today.US Behavior in the Nuclear Dialogue is "Indecent"The United States periodically recalls the bilateral dialogue on arms only in order to gain access to Russian nuclear facilities, while at the same time providing military assistance to Kiev. Lavrov called this behavior “indecent.”The minister also noted that it was the US that froze the bilateral strategic dialogue, citing the unfavorable military-political background, and canceled the round of negotiations in 2022.In addition, Lavrov reminded that in December 2023, Russia conveyed to the United States its assessments of Washington's proposals for strategic stability and warned that they have no alternative. The minister added that in order to resume the dialogue on strategic security, “it will be necessary to eliminate the critical security contradictions that NATO’s expansion to the east brings.”The conference was held in accordance with the Russian Foreign Ministry's tradition of holding a large-scale press conference at the beginning of each year, at which Lavrov assesses the foreign policy events of the previous year.
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Highlights From Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's Year-End Press Conference
16:13 18.01.2024 (Updated: 17:26 18.01.2024) Longread
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a large-scale press conference where he assessed the foreign policy events of the past year. The minister discussed in detail the conflict in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, Russian-African relations, BRICS and other issues on the international agenda.
Following Russia's top diplomat Sergey Lavrov's press conference, Sputnik Africa highlights the minister's key statements on the above issues.
Ukraine Faces the Fate of Afghanistan
The issue of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the involvement of Western countries in it became the biggest topic of the conference.
The actions of the West in pressuring
Ukraine to launch long-range missiles into Russian territory and into Crimea indicate that the
West does not seek a constructive solution to the conflict and only wants to escalate the conflict further, without listening to Russia's concerns.
“Washington has set a course for the unbridled expansion of the anti-Russian NATO bloc, expansion into the post-Soviet space, and provoked a conflict in Ukraine,” the minister said at the press conference.
Commenting on the political life in Ukraine, Lavrov said that Russia is not concerned about it, noting that the West wants to have more flexibility in Ukraine's leadership and therefore strongly recommends Zelensky to hold the presidential elections he had previously canceled because he wanted to "cling to power as much as possible."
Apart from that, last week in Kiev British Prime Minister Sunak and Zelensky signed the security cooperation agreement. Lavrov also commented on this issue, saying that he is familiar with the content of the document.
"I did not see any binding provisions in the analysis of this document, unless one that considers Ukraine’s obligation to ensure the protection of the islands in case if someone attacks the UK. Quite anecdotal," Lavrov noted.
The minister also recalled that about a few months ago, there were discussions in the West about whether Ukraine should join the European Union or NATO — and not everyone was in favor of it. As a result, it was decided that Kiev would conclude separate agreements with Western countries, which Lavrov called "a semi-finished product."
Furthermore, the official emphasized that the claims that Russia and Ukraine have initiated negotiations in Geneva are "just rumors," adding that it is necessary to talk with the West about the end of the conflict and its conditions.
However, according to Lavrov, the West is not interested in
negotiations with Russia, and it is Washington that gives Kiev the order not to sign the
peace treaty.
“The [Russian] President has repeatedly said that Russia does not refuse negotiations. He said this back in 2022, when, on the orders of Boris Johnson and other Anglo-Saxons, Kiev was prohibited from signing an already agreed settlement agreement with Russia,” the minister said.
Nevertheless, Lavrov assured that, despite all the machinations of the West, Russia will achieve the goals of the special military operation in Ukraine, adding that “there is no hope that Russia will be defeated in any way.”
Ukraine, in turn, faces the fate of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and other countries where the United States and its allies “carried out adventures.”
“And Ukraine, unfortunately, faces the same fate, because by relying on the master [US], not understanding that the master thinks only about itself, not at all about you, you cannot count on the interests of your people being taken into account in any way,” the diplomat emphasized.
The Russian Foreign Minister also pointed out that Zelensky “lied to the international community” at the World Economic Forum in Davos about the events around Ukraine after 2014. Moreover, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and former French President Francois Hollande admitted that they signed the Minsk agreements only to prepare Ukraine for war.
Lavrov also stated that Ukraine is "blackmailing" and endangering civilians by deploying its air defense systems close to the civilian infrastructure. According to the minister, the Kiev regime basically turns civilians into human shields, which is "strictly prohibited by international humanitarian law."
“Indeed, there are laws of war that must be respected, there is international humanitarian law [...]. The Russian army, conducting a special military operation, clearly follows these rules [...]. We are targeting the Ukrainian Armed Forces and infrastructure and other facilities related to them,” Lavrov said.
Moreover, according to the minister, Kiev feels permissiveness in everything, even in the torture of Americans, but this is a "path to disaster."
In light of the recent death of an American blogger in a Ukrainian prison, the diplomat advised Western politicians to read the laws adopted in Ukraine before talking about Kiev “defending democracy.”
“Do [they] have a conscience? Read the laws that were adopted to ban the Russian language, education, everything Russian in general and to encourage the ideology and practice of Nazism, when battalions with swastikas and stripes of SS divisions march there,” he said.
BRICS Symbolizes Abundance of the Multipolar World
Another important topic of the press conference was African-Russian relations and the development of BRICS.
The minister noted that about 30 countries are interested in rapprochement with BRICS and that the bloc has a very bright future. For its part, Russia, which is chairing the organization this year, will pay attention to the seamless integration of the new BRICS members into the group.
Furthermore, Russia will do everything possible to ensure that foreign participants in the BRICS Games and the Intervision Song Contest will fully experience Russian hospitality.
Commenting on Argentina's refusal to join BRICS, Lavrov said that it was a sovereign decision of this country.
Speaking about relations between Russia and
Africa, some of whose countries are members of BRICS, Lavrov emphasized that Moscow is taking its partnership with African countries to a truly strategic level.
“With African countries, you know, we are taking our partnership to a truly strategic level. This was... confirmed at the second Russia-Africa Summit, which took place in St. Petersburg in July last year,” Lavrov said.
US-UK Strikes on Yemen 'Trampled' International Law
The unfolding crisis in Yemen also did not go unnoticed by the minister.
According to Lavrov, the
US and the UK "trampled" on the norms of international law by launching their strikes on the territory of Yemen. The minister called this lawlessness beyond the framework of the UN resolution.
“Of course, the United States, together with the UK, violated and simply trampled on all conceivable norms of international law, including the Security Council resolution, which only called for the protection of commercial shipping. No one authorized [US] to bomb Yemen,” Lavrov said.
The minister compared the “lawlessness” committed against
Yemen to the actions of Western countries against Libya, which was “
bombed and turned into a black hole.”
“The exculpatory statements that come from Washington look very pathetic,” he added.
Speaking about conflict resolution, Lavrov said that it is now difficult to assess the possibility of resuming diplomatic contacts to resolve the Yemeni crisis. The most important thing now is to stop the US and the UK strikes on the Houthis, because the more the US and UK bomb the country, the less the Houthis will be willing to negotiate.
Resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
The top Russian diplomat revealed that Russia is aware of semi-closed contacts on the Palestinian-Israeli settlement with the participation of the United States, Israel and some Arab states, but they will not be successful. He stressed that peace in the Middle East conflict can be achieved only through direct dialogue.
“The main focus of efforts should be the creation of a Palestinian state in full compliance with the decisions of the [UN] Security Council [...] Without this, we will see relapses of the violence that is now observed in Gaza, because without the creation of a Palestinian state, the Palestinian people will continue to feel disadvantaged," Lavrov noted.
The minister added that Moscow is ready to take an active part in
resolving the crisis.
In addition, speaking about the beginning of the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Lavrov said that Moscow expected
Israel's response to the Hamas attack on October 7 in accordance with democratic principles, adding that Moscow considers the Hamas attack on civilians unacceptable.
Lavrov also stressed that Israel should not think that because of the past horrors of World War II, the Jewish State is allowed to do anything today.
US Behavior in the Nuclear Dialogue is "Indecent"
The United States periodically recalls the
bilateral dialogue on arms only in order to gain access to Russian nuclear facilities, while at the same time providing military assistance to Kiev. Lavrov called this behavior “indecent.”
The minister also noted that it was the
US that froze the bilateral strategic dialogue, citing the unfavorable military-political background, and canceled the round of negotiations in 2022.
In addition, Lavrov reminded that in December 2023, Russia conveyed to the United States its assessments of Washington's proposals for strategic stability and warned that they have no alternative. The minister added that in order to resume the dialogue on strategic security, “it will be necessary to eliminate the critical security contradictions that NATO’s expansion to the east brings.”
The conference was held in accordance with the Russian Foreign Ministry's tradition of holding a large-scale press conference at the beginning of each year, at which Lavrov assesses the foreign policy events of the previous year.
