MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. The West has been steadily seeking to place Russia’s closest allies in the post-Soviet space in a very uncomfortable position over their ties with Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
In an interview with Tsargrad television published on the Foreign Ministry’s website on Wednesday, Russia’s top diplomat said, "There are a lot of facts based on actions, statements from our closest allies, our strategic partners who say that they have been put (to put it mildly) in a very uncomfortable position." "They are trying not to do anything that would cause economic damage," the Russian foreign minister said. "The West methodically and cynically demands that they refrain from taking steps contrary to its interests, promising them everything under the sun. Although in reality it only means interference in internal affairs," he lamented.
According to Lavrov, Moscow’s allies "find themselves caught in the crossfire," with Russia, the EAEU, and the CIS accounting for what he said was "the lion’s share" of their economic ties. Meanwhile, the West’s role in the economy of Central Asia and the South Caucasus is growing, he added.
"At the same time, the network of budget-funded NGOs, primarily of the United States, Britain and the European Union, is expanding. In a number of post-Soviet countries, they feel more at ease and even try to call the shots. I will not list them; they are well known," Lavrov maintained. "But despite all this, I believe that these countries stand together with the Russian Federation. They are truly our allies. Victory Day, May 9, 2023, reaffirmed this," he emphasized.