Lavrov: West’s Slogans Change, But Goal of Bending World to Its Will Remain Unchanged

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has given a broad-ranging interview with “Mezhdunarodnaya Zhizn”, Russia’s leading international affairs journal, discussing the rapidly changing global geopolitical situation, what he believes is the West’s main fear about the rise of a multipolar world order, the causes and consequences of the Ukrainian crisis, the risks of a nuclear war, and Russia’s cooperation with partners abroad.

The Russian top diplomat cited the West’s seemingly insatiable drive to dominate of other nations as one of the key factors standing in the way of harmonious global development.

Russia, he said, has to “deal with the constant desire of the Western minority for military-political and financial-economic expansion. The slogans change, from globalization and Westernization to Americanization, universalization, liberalization, etc. But the essence remains the same: to subjugate all independent actors to their will, to force them to play by rules that benefit the West,” Lavrov said.

According to Lavrov, Washington and its allies are seeking to slow down “or even reverse” the evolution of the international affairs to prevent the emergence of a multipolar order and a “more just architecture of international affairs,” which Russia sees as its “mission” to support.

Nuclear Danger

Highlighting the growing threat of a global nuclear catastrophe stemming from the prospect of a direct Russia-NATO clash in Ukraine, Lavrov emphasized that at its core, the risks stem from the Western alliance’s “gross violation” of the principles of indivisible security, and a desire to see Russia’s “strategic defeat” in the proxy war in Ukraine.

The Russian top diplomat stressed that Russia’s nuclear doctrine was and remains “purely defensive in nature,” and “aimed at maintaining the minimum necessary nuclear force potential to guarantee the defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, and prevent aggression against Russia and its allies.”

“In the context of deterrence, the possession of nuclear weapons is presently the only possible response to some of the major external threats to the security of our country. The situation around Ukraine has only served to confirm the validity of our concerns in this area,” Lavrov said, with a “great danger” posed by the US and NATO’s drive toward escalation resulting in “direct armed clashes between nuclear powers. We believe that such a development can and should be prevented. Therefore, we are forced to remind and send sobering signals to our opponents of the existence of these extreme military-political risks.”

In the meantime, he said, Moscow will continue to adhere to the view that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, and to urge other nuclear states to “maintain adherence to these understandings and to exercise maximum restraint.”

Hybrid War’s Main Goal

“I think it’s important to understand the main thing: that the West wants to eliminate our country as a serious geopolitical competitor,” Lavrov said.

This, he noted, explains the “hybrid war” being waged against Russia, through sanctions, threats of secondary restrictions against countries cooperating with Russia, acts of sabotage, such as last year’s terror attacks against the Nord Stream pipeline network, efforts to “disconnect” Russia from international cultural, educational, scientific and sporting events, etc.

Western leaders also continue to repeat the “mantra” that their countries will provide as much military and other assistance to Ukraine as required, and are prepared to “fight to the last Ukrainian,” according to Lavrov.

 “The West should also realize one more thing: Russia will protect its people and its vital interests using all available means. And it would be better if our opponents realized as soon as possible the utter futility of the confrontation with Russia, and moved on to more civilized political-diplomatic methods to ensure the balance of interests,” Lavrov said.

Russian-African Cooperation Signals West’s Failure

Asked for his views on the significance of last month’s Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, Lavrov said that the summit’s importance could not be overstated in terms of African countries’ ability to resist the concentrated campaign by the West to pressure them over ties with Russia.

“Notwithstanding enormous pressure from the West, 48 official delegations and representatives of five leading regional integration associations arrived at the meeting. Moreover, 27 countries were represented by heads or deputy heads [of state and government, ed.]. These numbers clearly demonstrate that our nation’s independent foreign policy enjoys understanding from developing countries, and that the efforts of the United States and its allies to isolate Russia internationally have failed,” he said.

Russia’s goal in Africa, Lavrov said, includes “strengthening” the political, economic and technological sovereignty of its partners, with Moscow ready to share knowhow on improving public administration, ensuring food security, and implementing socio-economic development, and partnering up with regional nations to help preserve security and stability, settle regional conflicts, fight terrorism, drug crime and other cross-border threats and challenges.

Source: Sputnik