“We are always ready to talk, but if the West closes all doors, if it announces sanctions and expels our diplomats, then we cannot think of any initiative on our part,” said the foreign minister at a meeting with students and professors from the Belarusian State University.
Lavrov said that if Western nations come to their senses and make a logical proposal, Moscow will listen to them, but not without first considering the hostile actions carried out so far, the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.
“We will listen to what they say, but we will not believe them. We’ve believed them many times and they just generally deceived us. But in any case, now we will do everything so that we are not dependent on the West in the critical areas of our life, economy and defense,” added the head of Russian diplomacy.
On the other hand, Lavorv explained to those present that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is trying to find an external enemy to explain its existence because the meaning of the alliance has been lost after the disappearance of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union.
In this regard, he recalled that at that time a close dialogue between Russia and the European Union began, summit meetings were held twice a year, the Russian government met annually with the entire European Commission, there were 20 sectoral dialogues and four common spaces, developed practical cooperation.
However, the foreign minister added, the Atlantic Alliance is now trying to encircle the Eurasian nation, interfering in the affairs of the countries of the region and, far from cooperating, creating insecurity for the entire European continent.
Likewise, Lavrov indicated that these differences should be analyzed at the summit of permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, a proposal by President Vladimir Putin ahead of the pandemic.
In this sense, the Foreign Minister assured that Moscow would not give up this meeting, because, in his opinion, it would serve to discuss without mutual recriminations and honestly how to do it so that the world is equal and just and so the Charter of the UN is fulfilled.
“This invitation, this proposal stands. I hope that one day the West will come to their senses and we can discuss it again,” Lavrov said.
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