On January 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a 3-hour press conference to discuss the results of Russia's diplomatic activities in 2025.
About relations with the West and European leaders
Mr. Lavrov declared that the current European leaders have "deeply submerged themselves in hatred for Russia", and concluded that "it is difficult to reach any agreement with them".
He said European politicians, including NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and leaders of Germany, France and the UK, have publicly and seriously prepared for a war with Russia while still continuing to be delusional about deploying a "strategic failure" to Moscow in Ukraine.
At the same time, he noted that "healthy forces", those who prioritize national interests and recognize the benefits of maintaining friendly relations with Russia, have finally "awakened" in Europe and their voices have been heard in Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, as well as in Germany and France.
About the Ukraine conflict
Mr. Lavrov criticized European leaders for trying to prevent a peace agreement in Ukraine and hindering efforts to resolve the conflict.
The Foreign Minister noted that while Russia has never "lacked goodwill in reaching political agreements", Europe always does everything in its power to break agreements and peace initiatives.
On the other hand, Mr. Lavrov said that the US, under President Donald Trump, has become the "unique Western nation" ready to solve the root cause of the Ukraine conflict, and expressed hope that meaningful negotiations with Washington will continue.
About the Greenland crisis and the collapse of international rules
Commenting on the escalation of US efforts to seize Greenland, Mr. Lavrov emphasized "it is a colonial conquest", and that the people on the island have the right to decide their future.
He rejected Washington's claim that they need to annex this island to prevent Russia or China from occupying Danish autonomous territory, affirming that the US knows very well that Russia has no such plan.
At the same time, Mr. Lavrov noted that the Western internal crisis over Greenland raises questions about maintaining NATO unity and shows the collapse of international rules of conduct on the international stage, rules that have now been overturned and replaced by the "strong winner" game.
He emphasized that Russia will not participate in this game and will continue to treat other countries on an equal footing and will protect its interests without infringing on the legitimate rights of anyone else.
About Venezuela
Mr. Lavrov condemned the US arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and called the attack on Caracas an "unprecedented armed invasion", describing it as part of a larger Western intervention model in Latin America.
About Iran
The Foreign Minister expressed "deep concern" about the public efforts of Western forces to destabilize Iran, declaring that any situation must be resolved on the basis of respect for Tehran's rights to nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
