All news

Western partners try to link counter-terrorism cooperation to Ukraine crisis — Lavrov

“Our Western partners are trying to make this connection saying ‘You should behave well on Ukraine and we will resume cooperation in other areas’,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov
© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, January 12. /TASS/. Moscow has sensed the West’s desire to change the situation with the lack of dialogue on counter-terrorism in connection with the Ukrainian crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday

“I wouldn’t link these two things (cooperation on counter-terrorism and the crisis in Ukraine),” Lavrov said. “Our Western partners are trying to make this connection saying ‘You should behave well on Ukraine and we will resume cooperation in other areas’.”

“It sounds childish,” he said, noting the need to understand common priorities and challenges. “The major threat facing everyone now is terrorism, fuelled by drug trafficking and organized crime.”

“There is a growing understanding that this common threat must not be allowed to broaden and deepen,” Lavrov said. “I felt this yesterday during numerous talks as I took part in events of the ‘republican march’ in Paris,” he said, referring to his and many world leaders' participation in Sunday’s huge march in the French capital in support of unity and the victims of last week's attacks, in which 17 people were killed.

“Cooperation (with the West on counter-terrorism) has been suspended. Meanwhile, terrorists do not suspend cooperation with each other. Terrorist activity knows no bounds,” the Russian diplomat said.

“Terrorists cooperate on a large scale,” he said. “Our response to terrorists should not be based on some personal favors, insults or the desire to prove who calls the shots. It should be based on a thorough analysis of problems and the importance of understanding the role of urgent cooperation both between politicians and diplomats alongside security services.”

“These mechanisms existed and were sufficiently effective, but they have been blocked not on our initiative,” Lavrov added.