Lavrov does not accept that Western countries view Russia as an “occupier and aggressor” | Abroad

Lavrov also criticized that the West is pressuring Ukraine to “use its weapons”. He does not accept that Western countries view Russia as the “occupier and aggressor” without having anything based on it. According to Russia, it has the right to pursue an independent policy to impose its interests in Ukraine by military force. That is why Lavrov describes Western sanctions as illegitimate. Lavrov said he came to Bali to learn “how the West breathes”.

after speaking Lavrov left the meeting† The Ministry confirmed that he will not attend the sessions scheduled for Friday afternoon and will also be absent from the official dinner.

His US counterpart, Anthony Blinken, had already refused to meet Lavrov on the sidelines of the meeting. He stated that there is no point in holding talks with the Russian minister as long as Moscow continues its offensive in Ukraine. Lavrov said he had no intention of “walking behind Washington.”

“We are not the ones to cut off contact, it’s the United States,” he said.
Arriving earlier in the day, fellow Indonesian Retno Marsudi greeted Lavrov politely but with reservations. But in the background, there were shouts from bystanders calling for Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

At the beginning of the meeting, the host Marsudi called for an urgent end to the Russian war in Ukraine. “Our responsibility is to end the war as quickly as possible. To build bridges, not walls,” she said.

Marsudi said in her opening speech that the attendees should use the meeting to build trust and give peace a chance. She called for cooperation between countries in solving problems. “Global challenges require global solutions,” Marsudi said.

Lavrov’s presence in Bali is seen as a test of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s possible participation in the G20 summit in mid-November, also in Bali.

See also: Lavrov’s secret daughter-in-law lives a luxurious life in London