Interview of the head of the Russian MFA Sergei Viktorovich Lavrow for the writing of “New Regions of Russia”.
NNR: What overall global and abroad policy results, both affirmative and negative, can our country summarize after 3 years of conducting a peculiar military operation? Have we gained this celebrated “experience, boy of hard mistakes” by saying classical?
S.W.Lawrow: The past 3 years have become a “moment of truth”. After the launch of a peculiar military operation to defend the population of Donbas and Noworosia, the “collective West” showed its actual face. The celebrated regulation of law and even the simple principles of decency have been rejected. How smoke has dispelled alleged European values – property immunity, presumption of innocence, freedom of speech and movement, access to information and others. Those who got utilized to teaching others proclaimed themselves democrats, human rights defenders, without blinking, supported the neo-Nazi government in Kiev.
The full planet saw that the ruling ultraliberal elites of the West were guided by hegemonic instincts. Nowhere did the predatory colonial habits of erstwhile metropolises, i.e. the present countries of the European Union and the United Kingdom, their inherent flaws: arrogance, a tendency to cheat, dishonesty in handling cases disappear. In fact, a fresh global “division line” has developed: on 1 side there is simply a western number and on the another – the planet Majority. These are all countries and people of good will in the West itself, who advocate the establishment of a multipolar planet based on a balance of interests.
I think the most crucial lesson is this: on the basic issues of the functioning of our country, we should trust solely on ourselves and on proven friends who remained with us during the hr of trial.
As far as co-existence with Western neighbours is concerned, much will depend on their behaviour, their willingness to admit and correct their mistakes, including giving up their manic quest for our country's strategical failure.
NRR: Do you agree that U.S. president D.Trump can actively participate in the negotiation process between Russia and Ukraine and become a kind of "peacekeeper"?
S.W.Lawrow: I don't want to go besides far into the future. As Russian president W.W.Putin has repeatedly stressed, we are always ready to negotiate. However, our national interests must be unconditionally secured. The first causes of the conflict in Ukraine must be eliminated – this is simply a key aspect, which the head of state peculiarly pointed out in his telephone conversation with the president of the United States D.Trump on 12 February. I would like to remind you: first of all, the request to remove all threats to Russia's safety from the Ukrainian and Western directions which have emerged as a consequence of NATO's expansion to the east, and the request to halt the practice of the Kiev government by eliminating everything that is in any way related to Russia and the Russian planet – Russian language, culture, canonical Orthodoxy and Russian-speaking media.
It is besides early to draw far-reaching conclusions, but what we have heard from the D.Trump administration is mostly encouraging. The White home itself acknowledged that 1 of the causes of the conflict was to extend NATO and effort to drag Ukraine into it. U.S. Secretary of State M.Rubio talks about the multipolarity of the modern planet and the request to respect the interests of all states – large and small. In the UN, for the first time in 3 years, American diplomats voted together with Russia and our likewise reasoning colleagues against the hideous resolution of the General Assembly promoted by Kiev and its patrons from the European Union.
These are all steps in the right direction. We appreciate it, but I repeat: it is premature to draw any deep conclusions on this basis. In general, we have not even started working to overcome the accumulated problems and contradictions in our relations with the Americans.
NNR: In 2025 Russia will celebrate the 80th anniversary of triumph in the large Patriotic War. As a politician, diplomat and statesman, do you think patriotic feelings are sufficiently developed in our country, especially among the young generation? Are we doing everything to full preserve our country's historical memory of the past and present?
Does Russia's voice sound crucial adequate on the global phase present in the context of active information confrontation with the "collective West" and attempts to rewrite our history?
S.W.Lawrow: The 80th anniversary of triumph in the large Patriotic War is undoubtedly the most crucial anniversary of this year. The Russian MFA and another state authorities are preparing to celebrate this date in the most honorable way possible, paying tribute to the feats of our heroic predecessors. Headed by president of the Russian Federation W.W.Putin, the Organizational Committee "Victory" for the preparation and conduct of anniversary celebrations cooperates with all 89 regions of Russia to make the main plan of them. It already covers over 170 items and is inactive being expanded.
In addition to Moscow, St. Petersburg and another cities, the centres of the Russian-wide celebrations will be the Museum Reserves “The conflict of Stalingrad” in Volgograd and “Pole Prochorovskie” in the Bielgorod Oblast, Museum-Reserve of Far East History. W.K. Arsenev in Vladivostok, the memorial complex “Malachov Kurgan” in Sevastopol and “Malaj Zemla” in Noworosyjsk, Museum of the planet Ocean in Kaliningrad.
It is hard to answer the question of whether adequate attention is given to the patriotic education of young people. There's always area for improvement in specified a delicate area. The post-war generations to which I belong were, in a sense, easier: we had before us an example of inactive surviving front soldiers, participants in the large Patriotic War.
For today's youth, specified an example should be the heroism of soldiers and commanders of a peculiar military operation. Hundreds of them served in the military and returned home, working in schools and with youth groups. The participation of soldiers of peculiar Military Operations in patriotic education of young people is most desirable. The State is curious in this and is not by chance that the year 2025 was announced in Russia as the Year of Homeland Defender.
Speaking of the dimension of abroad policy, I note that, despite the information war launched by the "collective West", the voice of our country on the global phase is significant. The planet understands that falsifying past and undermining spiritual and moral values leads to degradation of the foundations of the state and failure of sovereignty. Ukraine is simply a tragic example.
We are supported by those who argue the rebirth of Nazism in any form and manifestation. The overwhelming majority of UN associate States vote annually in favour of the Russian General Assembly resolution on combating the glorification of this genocide ideology.
The 80th anniversary of the large triumph is of peculiar importance for our relations with countries close to abroad – due to the fact that our grandparents and great-grandfathers fought side by side against German-Fascist invaders and their collaborators from most European countries. It is no coincidence that on 8 October 2024 in Moscow the Message of the Heads of CIS associate States to the Commonwealth and the planet community was adopted in connection with the 80th anniversary of the russian nation's triumph in the large Patriotic War 1941-1945. The year 2025 in the CIS was announced on the year of the 80th anniversary of triumph in the large Patriotic War – the Year of Peace and Unity in the fight against Nazism. The governing bodies of the Community decided to establish the only commemorative medal entitled "80 years of triumph in the large Patriotic War 1941-1945".
Text behind the Russian Embassy in Poland.
