Sergey Lavrov: “Who knows what justice is about, that justice is on our side. Justice implies that every person has the right to retain their identity, based on the way they were brought up and on their own desires… The special military operation has worldwide significance because it upholds a Multipolar World Order where all countries without exception are equal”

Photo: MFA

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with Sky News Arabia, Moscow, September 20, 2024:

Question (retranslated from Arabic): We are broadcasting this interview with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov from Moscow, Russia. Thank you for finding the time to talk with Sky News Arabia.

Sergey Lavrov: Thank you for inviting me to do it.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): I am delighted to meet you at this point in history, considering that over two years have passed since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine. Is Moscow still committed to its initial requirements or we can hope to see it soften its line for the benefit of peace?

Sergey Lavrov: It is not so much Russia’s requirements as the requirements of international law. When calls are made for settling the conflict on the principles of the UN Charter, they are invariably complemented with the phrase “based on respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” However, the phrase about territorial integrity is preceded in the UN Charter by the requirement of respect for the right of nations to self-determination. It is the right to self-determination that guided all decolonisation processes, primarily in Africa. The Soviet Union was among the countries that initiated these processes. It was at our initiative that the relevant Declaration was adopted in 1960.

Discussions on what takes precedence – territorial integrity or the right of nations to self-determination – began at the UN General Assembly in the 20th century. These lengthy discussions led to the adoption of the voluminous Declaration. The part we are talking about now says clearly that all countries must respect the territorial integrity of states whose governments respect the right of nations to self-determination and therefore represent the entire population living in their territory. It is common knowledge that the neo-Nazis who seized power in Ukraine as a result of a state coup in February 2014 did not represent Crimea or Donbass.

Even before addressing the right of nations to self-determination, the UN Charter says that everyone is entitled to all human rights without distinction of any kind, such as race, sex, language or religion. Ukrainian laws prohibit the use of the Russian language in all spheres of life. A recent law has prohibited the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In other words, those who call for settling this conflict on the basis of the UN Charter should read it more carefully.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): The Orange Revolution became the starting point for everything. We realise that Russia now plays an important role in resolving conflicts on the international arena. Is the special military operation an important landmark in transforming the international community and the world order? Is Russia ready for broader hostilities?

Sergey Lavrov: You have said that the coup d’etat was among the main phases that eventually led us towards a situation that we are now witnessing. This coup d’etat was induced and supported by Western countries. After that, we warned for many years that Russian people, who had spent their whole life on territories incorporated into the Ukrainian state during the Soviet period, should not be treated this way. For centuries, Russian people developed this territory, and this territory should by no means be dragged into NATO. We warned about this for a long time. But, after nurturing, bringing up and raising neo-Nazis, the West unequivocally continued to support them as a tool of a war against the Russian Federation.

It is obvious for everyone, who understands what is going on and who knows what  justice is about, that justice is on our side. Justice implies that every person has the right to retain their identity, based on the way they were brought up and on their own desires. The Global Majority, African, Asian and Latin American countries, became apprehensive after the West started using the neo-Nazi Ukrainian regime as a tool for fighting against Russia. Everyone started wondering, on whom Washington would vent its discontent next time, and whom it might dislike. Well, it can dislike anybody. 

In this sense, you are absolutely right. The special military operation has worldwide significance because it upholds a multipolar world order where all countries without exception are equal. I would like to recall the UN Charter once again. It states expressly that the UN is based on the sovereign equality of states. The United States and its satellites never respect and honour this principle. The Global Majority is interested in ending the current state of things when the Americans demand that everyone respect a rules-based order, rather than international law. And their rules always depend on God’s whim, as we say here.

When it became necessary for them to deprive Serbia of Kosovo, they proclaimed its independence without any referendum. They said that the people of Kosovo were exercising their right to self-determination. Several years later, after the Nazis seized power in Kiev, the people of Crimea held a referendum and opted for reunification with Russia, with numerous international observers monitoring the event. The Americans denounced this act and said it violated territorial integrity.

The majority of the people from Africa, Asia and Latin America I communicate with, know what this is all about. The United States wants to convince everyone that it is a hegemon, and that no one can contradict it, no matter what they are doing. Consequently, the United States is saying that it is necessary to inflict a “strategic defeat” on Russia on the battlefield. They see this as an existential threat for themselves, a threat to their hegemony. If the truth prevails (and it will certainly prevail), they would see this situation as their own defeat highlighting the loss of their reputation, authority and prestige. Additionally, many would stop fearing them.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): You anticipated my question. I would like to talk about the “strategic defeat” that the West wants so much. The West today is like a child playing with matches. Does Russia want escalation?

Sergey Lavrov: No escalation. You are right; they are playing. They really seem to have a child’s mentality, even though they are adults holding positions of responsibility: ministers, prime ministers, chancellors, presidents, etc.

For several months now, there has been this discourse about Russia only threatening and mentioning some “red lines,” which the West keeps crossing and nothing happens.

In fact, President of Russia Vladimir Putin recently commented on this situation in St Petersburg. If acted on, the initiatives to provide Ukraine with US, French and British long-range missiles and to greenlight striking any target inside Russia will mean that NATO countries are at war with Russia.

Thankfully, there are a few reasonable people in Washington who realise this. NATO is waging war against Russia. But this is a hybrid war, a proxy war that they have Ukrainians fight for them. When it comes to Western long-range missile systems, it is clear to everyone that Ukrainians will not be able to use them. Only specialists from the country that has made the weapons will be able to aim them, to provide satellite data and assign flight missions.

Speaking of the “strategic defeat” on the battlefield, I do not want to quote Western politicians here, but there are people in the United States and in Europe who were paying attention during their history lessons and have learned it well. Napoleon, and later Adolf Hitler tried to inflict a strategic defeat on us. Both rallied most of Europe under their banners – countries that had obediently submitted, had been occupied and provided their military, their armies to be commanded by Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler. Both campaigns ended in disaster. Again, anyone who is well-read and good at history is perfectly aware of this.

Today, just like during World War II, the US-led coalition (about 50 obedient countries) is assaulting us using the Ukrainian regime to do the fighting – a blatantly Nazi regime just like that of Adolf Hitler.

In a situation like this, no one should forget about the character of the Russian people. We are now seeing this on the frontlines. Attempts to rock the boat or sow discord in our society always lead to the opposite result. It is more united than ever, and we see no other way but to defeat the Nazis, who are once again encroaching on our history, our land, and language.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): There is a question in the context of references to Russia’s use of nuclear weapons. We know about the Russian Federation’s doctrine in this sphere. Each time the “red lines” are crossed, the question arises as to where they really lie in the context of nuclear weapons?

Sergey Lavrov: We talk about the “red lines” in the hope that our assessments and statements will be heard by clever decision-makers. It is silly to say that we will push the red button, if tomorrow you fail to do as I demand.

I am confident that the decision-makers are aware of what we mean in these situations. No one wants a nuclear war. We said this time and again.

Let me assure you that we have weapons whose use will involve grave consequences for the masters of the Ukrainian regime. These weapons are available and on full alert status.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): I would like to discuss the Middle East – the developments there and specifically the West’s involvement. There is much talk today of [Russia’s] strategic partnership with the Iranians. News reports say that Russia has received missiles from Iran and that Russia, in turn, extends nuclear technologies to that country.  This is being written and talked about. What is your reply to these charges?

Sergey Lavrov: They say the same about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Approximately the same. We interact with Iran, North Korea, or any other country economically, politically and in the military-technical sphere  strictly within the framework of international law, violating none of our international commitments. It means nothing, if the United States invents ten tall tales per day, accusing us of all mortal sins. Or rather, it means just one thing: they don’t like Russia as a rival in the international arena. 

Let me emphasise once again that in relations with Iran or any other country we do not violate any rules of international law, including those that regulate military-technical cooperation.

I believe that Iran and its neighbours (the Arab monarchies and other Arab countries) are interested in cooperating among themselves. They belong to the same region and it is inevitable that they live side by side with each other. I welcome the process under way between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. They have normalised their relations. Dialogue is being promoted on many other issues as well. I am confident that it is in the interests of Iran and its Arab neighbours to establish neighbourly, normal and good relations. This will make it possible to develop economic cooperation to the benefit of all these countries and collaborate more effectively on the international scene in upholding the interests of (as we say) the Global South and Global East countries.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): During Joe Biden’s visit to Saudi Arabia, it was said that China and Russia could potentially fill the void left by the United States in the region. Would you comment on this? Is there really a vacuum there? What are Russia’s relations with the countries in this region? I would also like to raise the topic of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Sergey Lavrov: As for the void left by the US, let us examine at the last 50-70 years, during which the US set numerous goals loudly and proudly, the main one being to introduce democracy in various regions of the planet.

Take Vietnam. What goals were announced? Which were achieved? Hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed, and prohibited weapons were used. No goals were achieved. They boarded their helicopters and got away.

They spent even more time (20 years) in Afghanistan. They did not make any effort to develop the country’s economy. They boasted about suppressing the terrorist threat. In the end, they fled. We all saw the video of a plane almost crushing Afghans who were trying to flee with them. They abandoned all those who collaborated with them to their fate - thousands and thousands of people.

Or take Iraq. What goals did the Americans achieve in Iraq? Now they are being asked to leave. For more than two years, the government and parliament of Iraq have been saying that they no longer need the Americans. Yet, the Americans do not want to leave. What are they trying to achieve there?

Syria. What have they accomplished in Syria?

What is happening between Palestine and Israel is shocking. Experts struggle to recall a tragedy or humanitarian catastrophe like this. I emphasise that it will be a year soon. Several months ago, statistics were published in the West, which revealed that in the ten months since the start of the Israeli operation, twenty times more Palestinian civilians died than in the ten years of the war in Donbass after the coup d’etat in 2014. In Donbass, both sides were counted: people who live in Donbass and those who remained in the territory controlled by the Kiev regime. Twenty times more people died in ten months than in ten years.

The terrorist attack that took place on October 7, 2023, was outrageous. All sensible people condemn it. However, it is unacceptable to respond to a crime with another crime, especially through the prohibited method of collective punishment of civilians.

You mentioned the void when speaking about the US policy in the region. When the terrorist attack occurred on October 7, 2023, and Israel began its brutal operation, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his remarks at the General Assembly that he condemned the terrorist attack. But it did not happen in a vacuum. He meant that UN decisions on the establishment of a Palestinian state have not been implemented for decades. There is almost nothing left of the territories that should have constituted the Palestinian state.

Look at the Israeli leadership’s reaction when Mr Guterres said the terrorist attack did not occur in a vacuum. The Permanent Representative of Israel to the UN in New York (the one who held this position at the time) threw a fit. He demanded that Mr Guterres be dismissed from his position.

Impunity is a detrimental quality. We have told our Israeli colleagues many times that the Soviet Union, our country, did more than anyone else on this land to save the Jews and to defeat those who unleashed the Holocaust. It was not only Jews who perished in the Holocaust, but a huge number of Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Kazakhs and other peoples living on the territory of today’s Russia or on the territory of the Soviet Union also lost their lives.

When some officials justify their actions by saying that they - the Jewish people – were victims of the Holocaust and therefore can be forgiven, this is a troubling trend. It is a sign of the exceptionalism characteristic of Hitler’s Germany and its ideology.

I have many friends in Israel. The vast majority of them understand that the issue of a Palestinian state must be resolved and that suppressing the natural rights of the Palestinian people is unacceptable.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): Speaking about the export of democracy (as the Americans say), what does Russia think about democratic processes in the United States and the attempts on Donald Trump’s life, which are directly connected with Ukraine?

Sergey Lavrov: The current developments in the United States are a manifestation of their “exclusiveness” and superiority complex, which we just now mentioned in connection with the US policy in the Middle East and Washington’s support for the Israeli authorities’ violations of all provisions of the international humanitarian law.

American-style democracy is their invention. If they like that system of state power, in which election victory is not granted to the candidate for whom a majority of people voted but to the other candidate, let them have it and leave other nations alone.

I remember talking with then US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who criticised our election process. I replied that elections in the United States were not a direct but a two-stage process. As a result, a candidate who receives a minority vote sometimes ends up in the White House. She said that they were aware of that but it was not our problem, and that they would deal with it on their own. Wouldn’t it be appropriate to apply the same logic to other countries?

Some countries, for example, in the Persian Gulf, are comfortable with monarchy, and why should anyone care if people are satisfied with their lives? China has a different system of government, and the same is true about Russia.

When the United States says that it is fighting for democracy, they are deceiving the world. They are fighting to bring people who will do the Americans’ bidding to power. This is it. They are not doing anything else.

I think that American politicians, if you ask them why they are only talking about exporting their model of democracy throughout the world, and propose talking about democracy in international relations, will refuse to do this. They will tell you that international affairs rely on “rules-based order.” However, democracy as set out in the UN Charter is based on the sovereign equality of states.

Take any crisis that involved the United States after or even before the creation of the UN. The US foreign policy never respected the principle of sovereign equality of states.

Therefore, since Condoleezza Rice told me that it was their system and we should leave them alone, so I tell the Americans that they should likewise apply this principle to other countries. They have a different system. Leave them be and don’t interfere in others’ affairs.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): Some say that the world needs Donald Trump to hold the seat [in the White House] for the next four years, that this would benefit the world.

President Putin has recently made a joke about US elections. He said that Russia supported Kamala Harris. How is Russia adjusting its policy to the future president? How much will it change?

Sergey Lavrov: It was a joke. President Putin has a good sense of humour. He often jokes during his statements and interviews.

I see no long-term differences in our attitude to the current or previous elections in the United States, because it is ruled by the notorious “deep state.”

US President Joe Biden is in a physical state that has disenabled him from running his country for quite long. But the country is still rotating these “cog-wheels.” It continues the military campaign through the agency of the Ukrainian regime and in other parts of the world. It continues to block all UN Security Council resolutions urging a ceasefire in Gaza and on the Western Bank of the Jordan River. The “machine” is at work. And it is primed to deal with any rivals that will ever threaten America’s domination.

The Americans are pushing China forward as the main threat to their country. They have introduced a lot of sanctions against the PRC (but not as many as against Russia). They are cutting the channels whereby modern technologies come to China in a bid to slow down this sector’s development.  China will devise technologies on its own, but this will take a bit longer.

What are the Westerners doing with regard to Chinese exports, primarily electric cars, batteries for electric cars, and other goods?  They are introducing 100-percent duties in Europe and the United States. While President Xi Jinping was on a visit to France, the European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen came to Paris and declared in public that they were imposing 100-percent duties on Chinese electric cars, because, she said, the vehicles were too cheap and this was affecting the European producers. But where is fair competition that the West used to promote as its chief principle? Or inviolability of property, and much else? All of this is now a thing of the past.

I have no illusions regarding the US leader. [When Donald Trump was President] he had several meetings with Vladimir Putin. I was also received at the White House a couple of times. He was friendly. But the Trump administration regularly and consistently introduced sanctions against the Russian Federation and those sanctions were rather heavy.

Eventually we concluded that self-reliance was the best option. We will never again pin our hopes on the coming of a “good guy” to the White House or any other Western capital, who will help things straighten out in our country. 

Question (retranslated from Arabic): We started our conversation by mentioning the importance of the African continent. Russia has achieved certain success there through cooperation, including military cooperation, with a number of countries. What is Russia’s vision of its role in this region?

Sergey Lavrov: We saw this role for decades, when we actively supported (I have already mentioned this) African peoples’ struggle to gain independence, shake off the colonial yoke, and put an end to the policy of apartheid. African nations and their leaders appreciate our contribution to the effort to build a better world and ensure equality. We see younger generations of Africans being educated to respect our common history.

We have never derived unilateral benefits from our relations with African countries. Look at the many industrial facilities that the Soviet Union built in the Arab Republic of Egypt. Today, these facilities are the backbone of its economy and industry. Currently, we are building a nuclear power plant and creating a Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal area. We discussed this on September 16, 2024, when Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty was on a visit to the Russian Federation.

When the Soviet Union was establishing relations with other African countries, it invariably contributed to the development of the foundations of their sovereign economy and to creating a system of education. Each year, tens of thousands of Africans continue to study at Russian universities. The relevant countries have established associations of Soviet and Russian universities’ alumni.

Our common historical heritage predetermines the current level of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation. The Russian Federation was not in the best shape, both socially and economically, after the breakup of the Soviet Union. At that time, we devoted much less attention to expanding our collaboration with African friends. In the past 15 years, we continue to develop these relations after restoring the economy and normalising the life of our state and society.

Two Russia-Africa summits have taken place to date (in 2019, in Sochi and in 2023, in St Petersburg). In November 2024, Sochi will host the first meeting of Russia-Africa foreign ministers, in accordance with a decision of the 2023 summit. Together with our African colleagues we are planning to hold a regular summit two or three years later on the African continent.

We have a packed programme. The Commission of the African Union and the Government of the Russian Federation have devised an action plan until late 2026. It encompasses all spheres of our collaboration, including the economy and investment, as well as the social sphere, education and cultural exchanges. We can see that our African friends are sincerely interested (on a reciprocal basis) in expanded collaboration.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): The BRICS association is expanding rapidly, consolidating its positions and cooperating with a number of countries. Many states would like to join it. At the same time, this association is facing certain challenges. How do you counter these challenges? What is your idea of successful cooperation for the entire world?

Sergey Lavrov: The prescription is very simple – it is necessary to respect international law in full measure. First of all, I am quoting the UN Charter once again, this implies the principle of the sovereign equality of states and non-interference in each other’s domestic affairs. It is necessary to promote collaboration based on a balance of interests that we need to find. Just like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the League of Arab States and the Gulf Cooperation Council, BRICS functions on the basis of consensus. BRICS is an association based on a respectful attitude towards each other and on mutual consideration for each other’s interests.

There is no such a principle in the European Union or NATO. The United States is the hegemon there, it tolerates no objections with regard to its policies. The European Union and Brussels have established a bureaucracy that tells sovereign countries what to do. The people did not vote for this bureaucracy. They voted for their presidents and prime ministers instead; and a bureaucratic system was later established by mutual agreement. Just look how disrespectfully officials in Brussels behave nowadays.

A similar situation is impossible in the BRICS countries. The association advocates the real, rather than artificial (when someone is forced to agree), consensus principle primarily aiming to find agreements that reflect the mutual accord of all participants. This is not easy. The more partners, the harder it is to search for accord. It takes more time to finalise any consensus-based agreement than a vote-based solution. However, such agreements are much more resilient and viable than anything imposed from the outside. This is the entire and very simple secret.

BRICS is developing cooperation in the economy and finance. There is a new development bank, which is gaining strength. There is cooperation in politics, the humanitarian sphere, sports, education and culture. As BRICS chair this year, we have already organised 150 events, with several dozen more planned. All such events are of keen interest and are attended by relevant delegations, ministries, parliaments and public organisations. We observe the events in BRICS countries and see their citizens’ genuine interest in them.

This provides a solid foundation for developing a strategic partnership within the association. Currently, BRICS comprises 10 countries; their number has doubled compared to last year. More than 30 countries have already submitted applications for interaction or membership in the association. At the summit to be held in Kazan in October, one of the main items on the agenda will be the consideration of applications from states that wish to interact and partner with BRICS.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): We wanted to discuss a common problem: overcoming the dollar’s hegemony and the US sanctions imposed on Russia and Iran. This situation was predicted earlier. In particular, it was stated that the dollar would be used as a weapon against Russia and Iran. Now, notwithstanding all this, does Russia really want Donald Trump to return to the White House?

Sergey Lavrov: Donald Trump denounced the policy of the current administration, which, as he explicitly stated, destroys the role of the dollar and undermines the economic strength of the United States, which relies heavily on the dollar. The US national debt is $36 trillion. The interest alone on the US national debt is $1 trillion per year. That's without the principal on that debt. Donald Trump has directly stated that the sanctions imposed by the Biden administration, using the dollar's capacity as a global reserve currency, are detrimental to the US economy.

I agree with him. Moreover, I agree not because I want to, but because an overwhelming majority of countries are already cautious about any transactions in the global economy where they would be dependent on the dollar. This dependence persists. It is huge, including in the People's Republic of China, in India, and most of the world's economies. This dependence has already been recognised as a phenomenon that poses a risk to the development of countries. The dollar is gradually being replaced by settlements in national currencies.

At last year’s BRICS summit, President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva suggested that BRICS should consider creating an alternative payment platform that could be used by association’s members and other interested countries. This task has been set for the Kazan summit, which will be chaired by President of Russia Vladimir Putin. We expect to receive a report on how to establish alternative payment platforms from the BRICS countries’ finance ministers and central banks. Over 90 percent of our trade with China is carried out in national currencies avoiding the dollar. In our trade with India, this figure has reached 60 percent. We are beginning to shift towards such forms of interaction with most countries. It is clear that the United States keeps printing dollars and uses these devalued banknotes to maintain its policy of economic pressure on other countries. However, this age is approaching its decline.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): Of course, you can’t divide politics, the economy and relations with Europe. Why hasn’t Russia cut off gas exports to Europe despite its negative attitude to Russia? Why do you continue to send gas to the EU?

Sergey Lavrov: We are decent people. We signed long-term contracts with Europe. We always honour our obligations, unlike Europe or the United States.

We worked for decades during the Soviet era, starting in the 1970s, to develop mutually beneficial cooperation in the sphere of gas supply. It was thanks to affordable Russian gas that energy sectors in Europe, and primarily Germany, as well as their economies as a whole did so well.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an interview that it was Russia who cut off gas exports to Europe. Why should an adult person lie? Everyone knows what happened. Back when Angela Merkel was chancellor, the United States set Germany against launching the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines and for using more expensive – much more expensive – American LNG. Today, Europe covers its basic energy requirements with liquefied natural gas, including American LNG. But if anyone would like to buy our gas, we don’t go back on our agreements. We are neighbours. There are pipelines. Although three legs of the Nord Stream pipelines have been blown up, there are other pipeline routes, including via Ukraine and Türkiye, across the Back Sea. If cooperation is mutually beneficial, why shoot yourself in the foot?  Let beautiful Europe shoot itself in the foot.

A year ago, I read a statement by French Economics Minister Bruno Le Maire, who said that industries in Europe, including France, paid four times more for electricity than in the United States. This is exactly what the United States wanted.

They always try to get rid of rivals. When they saw Russia as a rival, they created an anti-Russia, a Russophobic and Nazi regime in Ukraine and set it against our country. The EU was a rival for the US too. It is not a rival anymore and never will be, if I correctly interpret development trends in Europe.

Europe is being deindustrialised. When one of Germany’s best assets – the automobile industry – starts moving production to other countries and Volkswagen shuts down pants and lays off thousands of personnel, it is suggestive.

European bureaucracy is obediently following the course set by the United States.  But more and more EU countries are coming to see that this is not in their interests, but in the interests of their overseas partner.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): I cannot help but ask you about China in order to completely describe the situation. When will relations of strategic partnership be elevated to the level of a coalition? Will this happen? Military exercises, including those in the Sea of Japan, have taken place. Relations between Russia and China are developing actively. Is it possible to say that both countries will establish a close-knit coalition?

Sergey Lavrov: These relations are the best throughout the entire history of Russia-China ties. They are precisely strategic.

They are often asking us when we will move to establish a military alliance. We do not have to do this. We regularly hold military exercises, including naval, ground and air-force drills. Our armies cooperate, maintain friendly relations, learn how to conduct joint operations, and train together. All this is taking place without any NATO-type alliance. We will certainly continue our strategic collaboration in all spheres without exception.

We maintain record-breaking mutual trade volumes that reached about $230 billion in 2023. These volumes tend to increase still further. We maintain the closest mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of energy and everything linked with gas deliveries and the nuclear power industry.

Our cultural, humanitarian and education ties are developing. The Russian language is becoming increasingly popular in China, while the Chinese language is becoming more popular in Russia. We are two great states and two great nations, as well as immediate neighbours. We have common interests in facilitating our security, especially when the United States is trying to promote a NATO-style system in the Asia Pacific region and is establishing various blocs, including AUKUS, as well as other trilateral and four-sided organisations there. Obviously, all this is being done in accordance with an openly stated goal, specifically, containing China and Russia. We should be vigilant, and this brings us even closer together. We are natural partners.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): What are Russia’s relations with the United Arab Emirates? We have noticed that these relations have reached an entirely new level. The United Arab Emirates plays an important role in repatriating Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war, which is a highly important role. How could you comment on it?

Sergey Lavrov: Relations with all Arab countries, without exception, including those with the six Persian Gulf states, hinge on regular meetings between our leaders and on treaties that have been signed. These relations encompass all spheres, without exception. I would like to particularly note our collaboration within the OPEC+ organisation, as well as the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. This a good material and objective foundation for our strategic partnership with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and other Persian Gulf countries.

Indeed, our friends in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are making their own contribution to resolving humanitarian issues, in the context of our special military operation. As you have noted, this includes prisoner of war exchanges. We praise this cooperation, which aims to help address the destinies of ordinary people in line with genuine motives, rather than for self-advertising and PR purposes.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): My last question concerns Lebanon. The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement regarding the latest developments in Lebanon – that is, the explosions of pagers aimed at Hezbollah members. This is an escalation. Since you and President Vladimir Putin maintain contact with all parties to the conflict, how do you assess this situation?

Sergey Lavrov: We are against any escalation. Unfortunately, there are those seeking to heat it up to the maximum, in particular, to provoke the US Armed Forces’ interference in the region. This is totally obvious. Just recall the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh during the funeral ceremony for President Ibrahim Raisi in the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran. I cannot imagine anything more cynical. I appreciate the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran did not have a breakdown, as they say, or slide into full-scale response military actions. They counted that Iran would do something that would make the United States’ armed forces interfere in the situation.

Perhaps the developments around Lebanon are similar. I believe that Hezbollah is behaving with restraint considering its capabilities. They want to provoke it with the same goal of making the United States’ interference in the war inevitable. I think that the Biden administration is aware of this danger. Obviously, we do not want a major war to break out.

At this point, the main thing is to achieve a full ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and all Palestinian territories, promptly solve the humanitarian issues, resume aid supplies in the required volumes, and, obviously, commence substantial negotiations on the creation of a Palestinian state as the third necessary step. Without this, outbreaks of violence in the Middle East will continue.

Question (retranslated from Arabic): At what level are relations between Israel and the Russian Federation today?

Sergey Lavrov: Personally, I have good relations with many of my Israeli colleagues, including former ones. When speaking about the Middle East policy, President Vladimir Putin highlights Russia’s full commitment to security and fundamental interests of the State of Israel.

It is not for nothing that I mentioned the necessity of implementing the resolutions that require resolving the Middle East issues on a two-state basis, so that two independent and sovereign states, Israel and Palestine, exist as good neighbours, safely for each other and for the entire region. This essential approach needs no explanation; it complies with the interests of both Israel and Palestine.

We always stress in all our actions that no solutions are going to be viable if they fail to ensure Israel’s security, among other things, but not at the expense of the security of others.

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