US’ rejection of sanctions against Wagner PMC not a change of approach — Lavrov

Russian Politics & Diplomacy June 26, 2023, 17:39

According to the top diplomat, Washington has already repeatedly displayed total bias and partisanship in regards to the Ukrainian crisis repeatedly

MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. Washington’s rejection of imposition of new sanctions against the Wagner PMC would not indicate a change of approach, it only depends on what Washington needs at any given stage, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview for RT Monday.

"I do not believe that it is a change of approach by the US. It is just another confirmation that the US’ approach depends on what the US needs from a certain foreign actor at this specific stage, be it on the international arena in general, or in some specific country," Lavrov said, commenting on media reports that Washington intends to suspend imposition of sanctions against the Wagner PMC amid the situation in Russia.

According to Lavrov, Washington has already repeatedly displayed total bias and partisanship in regards to the Ukrainian crisis repeatedly.

"Actually, it is they who wage war against Russia by Ukrainians’ hands," the minister noted.

In particular, he pointed out how the US forgot that the ‘Azov’ battalion [deemed terrorist and outlawed in Russia] was tagged by the US Congress as a terrorist organization and that it was clearly stated that the aid provided to Ukraine must not cover this structure.

"This ‘Azov’ has been rehabilitated a long time ago," Lavrov stated. "By the way, the Japanese government decided to remove the ‘Azov’ from the list of extremist organizations about two months ago, following in their senior comrade’s footsteps."

All this indicates that "everything submits to the rules that the West itself lives by and want everyone else to live by, the rules that have nothing to do either with international law or with national laws of any country, including Western countries," Lavrov concluded.

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