РУССКИЙ
11:20 22.12.2025 •
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky
Photo: MFA
In the collective West, an understanding is slowly beginning to wake up that there is no alternative to resuming dialogue with Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Lyubinsky said in an interview with Izvestia. According to him, the nature of relations with European states will be determined by their willingness to abandon Russophobia and accept geopolitical realities. In particular, Moscow will monitor the actions of Prague, where the government has recently changed, Lyubinsky stressed.
At the same time, due to the Brussels energy war, it is impossible to talk about the prospects of cooperation in this area today, he said. About threats to Russian diplomats in the West, relations with Hungary and Slovakia, and Austria's choice — in Dmitry Lyubinsky's exclusive interview with Izvestia.
"During my years as the Russian Ambassador in Vienna, I've seen really everything"
— It has been about four months since your appointment as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Has it been possible to establish cooperation with the diplomatic representatives of the States that are part of your area of responsibility? What are the main tasks you see in this area?
— The key tasks at the present stage in relation to the area under my supervision are dictated by the urgency of the moment and the need for effective political and diplomatic methods to ensure the firm line of the President of the Russian Federation in relation to Western countries with unfriendly governments both on a bilateral basis and on multilateral platforms. Upholding and protecting the national interests of our country in the new geopolitical realities is an absolute priority.
From communication with foreign colleagues, including the diplomatic corps in Moscow, there is a steady understanding that the dominance of the collective West in international politics has irrevocably sunk into oblivion. The majority of the world's countries are gaining an increasingly confident and strong voice. We strongly welcome this.
— You have been the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Austria for 10 years. What difficulties have you faced over the years? For example, the Russian Ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, said that the special services had attempted to recruit or intimidate Russian diplomats. Have there been such cases in Austria?
— During my years as the Russian ambassador in Vienna, I have seen really everything. In recent years, we have had to deal with many problems of an often unpredictable nature, from political and even purely domestic aspects of the normal life support of the staff of our representative offices in Austria. There have been recruitment attempts, provocations against employees, and expulsions of our diplomats under completely far-fetched pretexts. Personal threats were also made against me.
Again, in recent years, we have had to deal with artificial visa blockades against our employees in almost all European countries. We are simply not allowed to make substitutions. But the principle of reciprocity in diplomacy has not yet been abolished, and all unfriendly actions are followed by our reaction. Not necessarily mirrored, but in any case very sensitive.
"The dictatorship of the Brussels bureaucracy is waging an energy war not only with Russia"
— Austria, being a member of the European Union, plans to completely abandon Russian gas by 2028. At the same time, in June 2025, its Ministry of Energy stated that the EU should be ready to resume importing Russian gas after the end of the conflict in Ukraine. Why does Vienna leave this loophole for itself? Is Moscow ready to resume the supply of natural gas and on what terms?
— Let me remind you that back in 1968, Austria became the first Western country to conclude a long-term contract with the USSR for the supply of natural gas. This is what has largely ensured its sustainable economic development for half a century. Such a partnership has also been beneficial for our country, which has always cherished and cherishes its reputation as a reliable supplier of energy resources.
Nevertheless, in 2024, the Austrian side initiated the overnight cancellation of a long-term contract with Gazprom for the supply of natural gas on very attractive terms until 2040. It was her choice, is it possible to talk about Austria's reliability as a trading partner after that? For me, this topic seems to be closed for today, and I can only express my condolences to the Austrian and other European end users. They can address all their questions and life troubles to their own governments.
— At the beginning of 2026, the European Commission will propose a complete and permanent ban on oil imports from Russia to the EU, said EC President Ursula von der Leyen. Will Russian energy supplies to Hungary and Slovakia continue despite the EU's restrictive measures?
— After Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian gas through its territory on January 1, 2025, the volume of its supplies to Hungary and especially to Slovakia has significantly decreased. Currently, gas is supplied to these countries through the Turkish Stream. Russian oil continues to be delivered to Slovakia and Hungary under long-term contracts through the still-operating Druzhba oil pipeline. As you know, Ukraine has made several attempts to undermine this oil pipeline, which was strongly condemned in Budapest and Bratislava.
Due to the fact that Russian energy supplies are of crucial importance for the normal functioning of the economies and social spheres of Hungary and Slovakia, these states categorically opposed the European Commission's RePowerEU project to completely stop importing these resources from Russia by 2028. But in general, in conditions when the dictatorship of the Brussels bureaucracy is in practice waging an energy war not only with Russia, but also with its own member countries, subjecting them to other forms of obstruction, there is no way to talk about prospects today.
"There is no other way to restore guaranteed mutual security on the continent"
— Hungary and Slovakia also maintain political contacts with Russia. In particular, Budapest is being considered as a place for possible talks between the presidents of Russia and the United States. Are there any contacts with the Hungarian side regarding the Budapest summit and does it remain on the agenda? Are new meetings with Hungary and Slovakia planned in 2026?
— The recent visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Moscow gave quite an eloquent answer to your question.
We respect the honest, balanced foreign policy line of the Hungarian government, which, despite the massive pressure from official Brussels, strives to follow a pragmatic course and firmly defends its national interests, including a sovereign position in dialogue with Moscow. This contributes to the preservation of the main areas of Russian-Hungarian cooperation, the continuation of the exchange of views during regular political contacts, as well as further mutually beneficial cooperation on topics of mutual interest. To a large extent, the above applies to the current Government of Slovakia.
We appreciate Budapest's willingness to become a platform for a possible Russian-American summit when the necessary conditions are ripe for it. I think the statements of the leaders of Russia and the United States in this regard leave no doubt.
— In the Czech Republic, the opposition won the recent parliamentary elections. Is Russia ready to restore relations with Prague? If so, under what conditions is this possible?
— We have noted for ourselves the results of the next parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic in October 2025. Of course, we will continue to closely follow the steps of official Prague and draw appropriate practical conclusions.
Escalating tensions in bilateral affairs, unfounded accusations, minimizing diplomatic and any other contacts, and a thoughtless course towards undermining trade and economic relations have become an obsession for the Czech political elite. We regret to note that as a result, the public consciousness in the Czech Republic has also been partially affected by the poison of hatred.
However, gradually in the collective West — and Prague is no exception here — an understanding is beginning to wake up, albeit slowly, that there is no alternative to resuming dialogue with Russia. There is simply no other way to restore stability and guaranteed mutual security on the continent. However, other hotheads continue to dream of our "strategic defeat."
For our part, in response to the insane "horror stories", we have already repeated hundreds of times that we are not going to attack anyone and remain open to dialogue — but dialogue can only be mutually respectful. The language of ultimatums, threats, or unfounded accusations is unacceptable. There can be no constructive interaction while potential counterparties continue to pump up the Kiev regime with weapons for aggression against all Russians in the broadest sense of the word, for the murder of our civilians and their defenders, rave about the ideas of a "tribunal" over the leadership of our country and thoughtlessly spin the sanctions flywheel at their own loss.
Of course, this directly applies not only to Prague. We have no illusions, and we will, I repeat, judge solely on specific steps.
— How do you generally assess the results of 2025 in the European direction? Have there been more threats to Russia? Are there any prospects for improvement in the situation next year?
— Thanks to our purposeful efforts and consistent policy in the past year, we have managed to maintain a constructive dialogue with a number of nationally oriented European capitals. The dreams of aggressive European Russophobes about the international isolation of our country have completely crumbled. Despite the continuing desire of well-known European countries to rewrite the history of the Second World War, a wide range of events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War has been implemented at a decent level.
In the coming year, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to make every possible effort to defend Russian national interests. The atmosphere and nature of relations with European states will be determined primarily by their willingness to abandon the all-consuming cave Russophobia, return to the path of reason, and adequately face the geopolitical realities. After all, the current European leaders simply have no other choice. History will put everything in its place.
On the eve of the holidays, I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate you and your readers on the upcoming New Year 2026 and Merry Christmas!
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