Lavrov: Negotiations with Russia a deceptive tactic by the West
Quick Look
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that negotiations with Russia over the past two decades have been a "diplomatic smokescreen" for the West's geopolitical expansion, particularly by NATO and the EU towards Russia's borders.
- His article, initially intended for Politico-Europe, was canceled by the outlet.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claims that over two decades of negotiations with Europe have been a "diplomatic smokescreen" for Western geopolitical expansion.
MOSCOW, June 19. /TASS/. The recent years’ experience shows that negotiations with Russia for Europe are a deceptive tactic, a diplomatic smokescreen for the geopolitical expansion of the West towards the Russian borders, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"More than two decades of negotiation with Europe, as part of the collective West, leads to only one conclusion: engaging Russia in dialogue has served as a diplomatic smokescreen for the geopolitical expansion of Western institutions, above all NATO and the European Union, eastwards, right up to Russia's borders," Lavrov stated in his article 'Ukraine, Europe and Global Security.'
This article by the Russian foreign minister was initially planned to be published in the Brussels-based "Politico-Europe," but via a last minute decision of the outlet's editorial team the publication was canceled.
Open Questions
- What specific actions by NATO/EU does Lavrov cite as expansionist?
- What are Russia's proposed alternatives to current negotiation tactics?
