Today, Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke about his country's war in Ukraine and many global issues, such as Security Council reform, Washington and the West's dominance of international institutions, and the issues of Iran and Taiwan.
This came in a speech delivered by Lavrov during the high-level discussions of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly currently being held in New York.
The Russian Foreign Minister said that the United States is seeking hegemony by orchestrating what is happening in Ukraine, stressing that it is "not neutral, rather it is a party to the conflict, and the West, which claims neutrality, supplies Ukraine with weapons, and this is an illegal act."
He stressed that Moscow has never abandoned contacts with the West, but everything is collapsing because of Washington, London and the European Union, as he put it, considering that the European Union has become an authoritarian and dictatorial entity.
Regarding the reform of the UN Security Council, Lavrov said that the inclusion of more Western countries in the council would be ridiculous, considering that India and Brazil are strong candidates for permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
Self-determination
In a related context, the Russian Foreign Minister reminded that the principles of the United Nations Charter stipulate the sovereignty of states and respect for the right to self-determination.
Lavrov said that the continuation of the Ukrainian war in Donetsk and Lugansk prompted his country to launch what he called a "special military operation", adding that any self-respecting sovereign country would have taken the same measures.
He believed that the residents of Donbass' regions to hold a referendum on their fate was a reaction to what the Ukrainian president told them last year, "Whoever feels that he is Russian, let him leave for Russia, and this is what the residents are doing now, but they bring with them their land and the land of their ancestors."
Messenger of Divine Providence
In another context, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Washington is playing with fire with Iran and Taiwan, through massive provocations and planning.
He added that "the mistakes of the West undermine confidence in international organizations and international law as the protector of the weak from the strong... and one country should not dominate the rest."
He said, "Washington wants to turn the entire world into its backyard, and considers itself a messenger of God's providence on earth... And the United States, along with Western countries, is not shy about expressing its desire to defeat and dismantle Russia."