MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called US President Donald Trump's policy of independently writing rules of conduct on the international stage a major shock for Europe.
Moscow sees inconsistency in the Trump administration's approach to international security issues, he noted at a news conference to review the results of Russian diplomacy in 2025.
TASS has compiled the top Russian diplomat’s key statements.
Change in world order
Multipolarity is here to stay and cannot be replaced by anything else; eventually, "we will have to come to an agreement."
All the rules on which the world order that suits the West should be based have been overturned, and the international arena is now playing a game of "might makes right."
Trump's approach of setting his own rules on the world stage is a "major shock" for Europe.
Moscow sees the Trump administration's inconsistency on issues related to "ensuring international security."
International security
The EU’s approach of forcing countries to choose between cooperation and isolation suggests that the association "will not end well."
The problems between the US and Europe and other countries around the world "will take quite a long time to resolve."
Russia cannot ignore the nuclear arsenals of the UK and France: "They are US allies and are bound by mutual obligations within NATO. Therefore, it is impossible not to take their arsenals into account when considering the threats posed by the US nuclear arsenal."
The US is pursuing a policy of deploying weapons in outer space.
France is trying to prevent the restoration of governments in the Sahel region by any means necessary, including "the use of terrorist methods."
International organizations
Moscow believes that a continent-wide dialogue is necessary, but "it is not necessary to chase after examples and create a formal, bureaucratic structure."
"NATO and the OSCE are Euro-Atlantic structures, and as such, they are experiencing the deepest crisis in NATO's history." There is talk in the West about whether it is time to "close" NATO.
OSCE Secretary General Feridun Sinirlioglu understands "what a catastrophic situation, without exaggeration, he inherited when he took office." Talk of "resuscitating" the agency raises questions: "I don't know how possible resuscitation is in this case. The OSCE has fallen so low that there is nowhere else to go."
Russia will prevent the OSCE from "burying itself" and will continue to participate because some countries in the organization still have "common sense."
Moscow is "working to resume activities" in the Russia-India-China (RIC) strategic dialogue format.
The EU does not interact with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and is trying to undermine its work.
Aggression against Venezuela and Iran
Russia is interested in helping to "de-escalate tensions" in Venezuela and Iran.
The US has committed an armed invasion of Venezuela and is threatening Cuba and other Latin American countries: "We have witnessed unprecedented events: a brutal armed invasion of Venezuela by the US, resulting in dozens of casualties, and the capture and removal of the legitimate president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife. In parallel with these actions, we are seeing threats against Cuba and other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean."
Attempts by external forces to destabilize Iran's internal political situation are causing "deep concern." Tehran's right to "the peaceful use of nuclear energy" must be respected.
The West is seeking regime change in Iran: "[EU foreign policy chief] Kaja Kallas recently stated that by supporting the protests, the international community, represented by the EU, is seeking regime change in that country."
Seizure of Marinera tanker
Russia immediately appealed to the US after the seizure of the Marinera tanker with an "urgent request" to release the Russian citizens on board: "The main thing for us was to free our citizens. There are two of them there, along with citizens of Ukraine, Georgia, and India."
Russia expects the US to fulfill its promise to release the Russians from the Marinera tanker.
The seizure of the tanker in violation of international law on the high seas "is a cause for concern." Russia is ready to "sit down and negotiate" rules of conduct for countries on the high seas and in special economic zones.
Threats from Greenland
"Crimea is no less important to Russia's security than Greenland is to the US."
Greenland is an obvious example of something that was difficult to imagine before, including the prospect of preserving NATO as a unified Western military-political bloc.
Russia sees no reason to conclude a mutual assistance treaty with Greenland and Iceland. Moscow is not involved in the issue of Greenland but is observing it.
Even in the West, the idea of a threat to Greenland from Russia and China is already being refuted: "There is no such confirmation." The US is well aware of this.
Russia-US dialogue
Russia and the US are in contact regarding the Balkans, and Moscow is open to such discussions: "As far as I can tell, our American counterparts are ready as well." Unlike the Europeans, the US is showing interest in resuming discussions in the Arctic Council.
Russia plans to initiate talks with the US regarding the return of Russian diplomatic property. However, "our American colleagues, contrary to what was agreed, somehow do not want to talk about this issue."
Russia favors resuming direct air communication with the US: "We are also including these issues in the agenda of our negotiations."
Board of Peace on Gaza
Russia has received specific proposals on the Board of Peace. The initiative reflects the US' understanding of "the need to bring together a group of countries that will cooperate with you in one way or another."
Russia is determined to "use every opportunity" to resolve Palestine's problems. The creation of an independent Palestinian state is necessary for stability in the Middle East. Without it, the region "cannot be stable."
Japan's non-nuclear status
Open discussions about amending the constitution and revising the country's non-nuclear status have intensified in Japan, "and this is already being discussed openly, in essence."
Russia is concerned about some Japanese forces' unhealthy desire to return to militarization, but the Japanese administration is ignoring Moscow’s security concerns: "This is an unhealthy situation."
According to Russia, the US has not yet withdrawn American intermediate-range ballistic missiles for the Typhon missile system from Japan. Moscow has notified Tokyo that the deployment of US missiles, including systems for launching Tomahawk missiles in Yamaguchi Prefecture, is unacceptable.
Russia's relations with other countries
Relations between Russia and China "are unprecedented in terms of their level, depth, and alignment of positions regarding developments in Eurasia and on the world stage as a whole."
Despite profound geopolitical differences, cultural and humanitarian cooperation with Japan is developing "very, very positively."
Russia is watching the situation surrounding the Armenian Apostolic Church with regret. Moscow hopes that those who support a partnership with Russia in Armenia "will not be persecuted." However, the EU is promoting the idea of certain hybrid threats from Russia around the world and has transferred 15 million rubles to Armenia. Yerevan may be forced to "work off" every cent with something destructive.
Statements by Baltic politicians and their threats against Russia's Kaliningrad Region suggest that they are "plotting some kind of provocation" to justify calling for NATO unity.
Moscow is interested in normal relations with Moldova and is not taking any hostile actions. However, "the EU is not lagging behind the current authorities in Chisinau, who are completely accountable to it."
The chosen path of Moldova's de facto absorption by the EU is "destroying Moldovan statehood."