All news

Shift towards polycentric world system cannot be ignored, Lavrov says

Russia's top diplomat noted that the center of global politics was shifting from the Euro-Atlantic region, which had shaped the future of international affairs for about 500 years

MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. The global political system is gradually shifting its center of power from the Euro-Atlantic region to other regions of the planet, and it is impossible to ignore that, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a webinar on Russia’s foreign policy on Friday.

"New centers of power are emerging not only in the Asia-Pacific region. There are [such centers] in Latin America and Africa as well. The leading countries of these regions rely on their centuries-old traditions, their cultural and civilizational code, and identity, while strengthening their political, economic, and technological sovereignty. It is impossible to ignore that, a truly polycentric world system is being formed, that is why the G20 summit meetings are becoming so important," he emphasized.

According to Lavrov, Russia has many like-minded people in the Asia-Pacific region who share the approaches based on international law. "Where, by the way, the center of global politics is shifting from the Euro-Atlantic region, which has shaped the future of international affairs for about 500 years," he noted.

"When we talk about the need to maintain strategic stability in the world, we proceed from the premise that this concerns not only a nuclear balance with the United States, which is discussed separately. Strategic stability must be maintained, first and foremost, by full respect for the principles of international law, bearing in mind respect for states’ sovereign equality, the principle of non-interference in their domestic affairs and the peaceful settlement of disputes," Lavrov stressed. "If everyone was guided by such practical approaches, arms control probably would not be so important for maintaining stability across the globe. However, the world is much more complicated, unfortunately," he maintained.