Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated during a visit to China on Wednesday that the West is becoming increasingly divided as its power wanes.
In his remarks, Lavrov accused European Union and United Kingdom officials of torpedoing U.S.-Russian diplomatic talks aimed at normalizing relations. He also criticized large-scale European rearmament initiatives.
“European elites see militarization as a guarantee of their survival,” Lavrov said. “And Americans encourage this European militarization as it shifts responsibility for security of the Old World.”
The Russian diplomat added that Washington is content for European nations to fund Kiev against Moscow and even create a new military alliance involving Ukraine, thereby placing “the main responsibility [on them] for containing Russia.”
Lavrov further described the broader Western agenda as an effort to “preserve and renew their hegemony” and establish mechanisms to “live at the expense of others,” referencing historical practices such as slavery and colonialism. He noted that as Western power declines, internal frictions intensify.
The minister criticized the EU for prioritizing ideological commitments over economic pragmatism by refusing Russian energy supplies despite a global price shock caused by U.S. military actions in Iran.
“Europe says it is getting off the needle of Russian oil and gas,” Lavrov remarked. “And it risks getting impaled by an aspen stake, which [the United States] is actively sharpening for the Europeans.”
Additionally, Lavrov claimed that officials in Brussels, Paris, Berlin, and London are working to prolong the Ukraine conflict and keep the United States engaged. He stated these efforts have largely nullified the outcome of U.S.-Russian negotiations held last year in Alaska, even as President Donald Trump moves away from his predecessor’s policy of open-ended support for Kiev.
Lavrov concluded by noting that Moscow has no illusions about U.S. strategies to dominate global energy markets, including through recent military operations against Venezuela and Iran and the continuation of sanctions on Russia.
