West's Reaction to Niger Coup 'Hypocritical': Lavrov

The West is unanimously demanding the restoration of democracy in Niger, although in 2014 they almost ignored the coup in Kiev, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"Look how unanimously the West is now reacting to the coup in Niger, demanding the restoration of democracy," Lavrov said at the opening of the XI Moscow Conference on International Security.

Niger's military announced on national television at the end of July that President Mohamed Bazoum had been removed from power. The leaders of the most Western countries, as well as the regional organization of the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS) condemned the coup.

In early August, the ECOWAS countries adopted a plan in case of military intervention in Niger.

He recalled that Western countries almost did not react in any way to the displacement of the legitimate government in Ukraine through a "bloody coup d'etat" in 2014.

"Such examples of hypocrisy and double standards can be cited endlessly," Lavrov added.

According to the minister, today the United States, NATO and the European Union, pumping Ukraine with weapons, significantly increase the threat of a direct military clash between nuclear powers.

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"Today, the US, NATO and the European Union, in order to save their geopolitical project of containing Russia and splitting the Russian world, are pumping Ukraine with more and more modern weapons, inciting conflict more and more and provoking the uncontrolled spread of weapons around the world [...]. Their adventurous, irresponsible policies significantly increase the threat of a direct military clash between nuclear powers," Lavrov said.

Apart from that, Lavrov stressed that Russia appreciates efforts made by the countries of the Global South in helping to find realistic ways to resolve the Ukrainian conflict.

"We appreciate the sincere interest of China, Brazil, the Republic of South Africa, Egypt, India, and other countries of the Global South in helping to find fair, realistic ways to a settlement, as President [of Russia Vladimir Putin] has repeatedly said," the Foreign Minister said.

In addition, Lavrov welcomed the BRICS group's expansion, noting that it will allow the association to increase its weight in the global political arena.

"One of the key issues on the agenda of the upcoming summit in Johannesburg this month will be the BRICS expansion, which will undoubtedly significantly strengthen this association and increase its weight in world affairs," he said.

The head of Russian diplomacy noted the rapid growth of the authority and attractiveness of the BRICS, within which, according to him, "countries with different political systems, distinctive value platforms set an example of multipolar diplomacy aimed at coordinating on an equal basis effective forms of trade, economic, investment, humanitarian interaction, forms protected from outside dictates."

He also noted the increase in foreign policy coordination of the member-states.