Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made new statements criticising the methods proposed by US President-elect Donald Trump to promote American interests in the international arena. Lavrov stressed that even with the change of administration in Washington, the US interests in foreign policy remain unchanged, TASS reported.
“US interests have not changed”
Lavrov said at a press conference on Tuesday that although Trump has introduced new approaches to foreign policy, they do not reflect any changes in the US strategic goals. “This is a clear indicator of the methods by which Trump and his administration plan to promote American interests on the world stage,” the Russian foreign minister said.
He noted that, regardless of who is in power in the United States – Democrats or Republicans – America’s interests do not change: “The interest is to always be stronger than any opponent,” Lavrov stressed.
Criticism of the US withdrawal from international organisations
Lavrov also commented on Trump’s decision to withdraw from several international organisations and treaties, as well as the US president’s territorial claims to Greenland and the Panama Canal. Trump has announced his intention to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, and to regain control of the Panama Canal, which became part of Panama in 1999.
The Russian Foreign Minister called on the United States to listen to the opinion of Greenland’s citizens, most of whom support independence from Denmark. Regarding the Panama Canal, Russia reaffirmed its commitment to the neutral status of the region and stressed that the international legal regime of the canal is enshrined in the treaty between the United States and Panama.
Russia expects concrete initiatives from Trump
Lavrov said that Russia expects Trump to take concrete initiatives to resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed a desire to meet with the new US president to discuss ways to achieve peace in Ukraine. Russia is ready to negotiate “security guarantees” for Ukraine, but the main thing in future talks with the US will be the creation of a new security architecture in Eurasia and the definition of Russia’s role in the European security system.
Russia’s demands for resolving the conflict with Ukraine
In order to achieve a peaceful settlement of the conflict with Ukraine, President Putin has put forward the main demands: the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from four eastern regions of Ukraine (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson), which Russia considers its own, and Ukraine’s abandonment of its aspirations to join NATO. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists on continuing the course towards joining the Alliance.
In general, Lavrov stressed that the change of administration in the United States will not lead to fundamental changes in America’s foreign policy, and Russia will continue to defend its national interests and ensure its security in the international arena.
