Russia to be seen as US adversary regardless of President, Lavrov says
3 Min Read
Russia underlines that the United States will continue to perceive it as an adversary, if not an enemy, regardless of who is in the White House.
-
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrives to attend the gala dinner, during the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Vientiane, Palos, on Thursday, October 10, 2024. (AP)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stated that the US will continue to view Russia as an adversary, regardless of the outcome of the upcoming November 5 presidential election.
"Regardless of the election results, for the US, we [Russia] will remain, if not an enemy, then definitely an adversary. In any case, a competitor," Lavrov said in an interview with the Russian newspaper Argumenty i Fakty, excerpts of which were published on Saturday.
Lavrov's comments echo remarks he made earlier this month in an interview with Newsweek, where he suggested that the election outcome "makes no difference" to Moscow, as both the Democratic and Republican parties have reached a consensus on countering Russia.
"In case there are political changes in the US and new proposals to us, we will be ready to consider them and decide whether they meet our interests," he noted.
Lavrov also criticized Washington's foreign policy focus, stating, "It would be natural for the White House resident, no matter who they are, to mind their domestic business, rather than looking for adventures tens of thousands of miles away from American shores."
US-Russia relations, which have been deteriorating for years, reached a new low following the February 2022 war in Ukraine. The US and its allies have provided Ukraine with tens of billions of dollars in military aid while imposing severe sanctions on Russia.
Last month, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that relations between the two countries had hit "a cracking-up point" under President Joe Biden's administration. He noted that bilateral ties are at a "historical low point," with no signs of improvement in the foreseeable future.
Peskov further commented on the upcoming US election, suggesting that the Democrats are "more predictable" in terms of continuing US policies toward Russia, as well as their pressure on EU countries, which he described as a "further political and economic enslavement" of Europe.
US elections not to determine future
Russian Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko stated on Saturday that the three-day BRICS summit, rather than the upcoming US presidential elections, will determine the future trajectory of history and will be closely monitored across all continents.
In a post on her Telegram channel, Matviyenko wrote, "The world has changed seriously and radically. Therefore, the next presidential elections in the United States will not be the most significant event this year for the international community, and they certainly will not determine the future course of history; rather, the BRICS summit will be the main event."
Matviyenko emphasized her firm belief that in Kazan (the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia) in 2024, indicators and directions for human development will be established, not in the "shaky United States."
She added that "the three days of the BRICS summit and discussions among the leaders of the global majority in Tatarstan will have the main impact on our future," asserting that "it will be the Kazan summit, not the results of the US elections, that will influence the world, contrary to what US media are trying to impose."
Matviyenko expressed her conviction that responsible politicians in sovereign countries understand this, and the clear evidence is the level of representation at the summit and the increase in requests to join the bloc.
