NEW DELHI, May 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin tested the EU for political sensitivity by proposing former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder as a candidate for negotiator with Moscow from the Europeans, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference following a BRICS ministerial meeting in the Indian capital of New Delhi.

According to him, Germany is once again leading the movement in support of Nazism in Europe, with Vladimir Zelensky appointed as its leader.

TASS has compiled the key statements of the head of the Foreign Ministry.

Western interference in affairs of third countries

The situation in the Middle East and North Africa region is becoming increasingly complex: "We paid special attention to crisis situations in the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz, Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, where even prospects for a Palestinian state are being eliminated in violation of United Nations resolutions, as well as Libya, Yemen, and Syria. These conflicts are creating a web of contradictions that is making the situation in the Middle East and North Africa increasingly complicated."

This is due to "Western interference in sovereign states."

US-China relations

Russia will not be drawn into any triangulation attempts by the US to pit Moscow and Beijing against one another: "I believe [former US Secretary of State] Henry Kissinger once argued that Washington's ties with both Beijing and Moscow should be stronger than ties between Beijing and Moscow themselves. The United States and colonial powers have long followed this 'divide and conquer' strategy, which survives to this day in Western policy. But that's not how we operate, that's not how China operates."

Moscow does not interfere in trade relations between third countries, does not ask the Chinese to consult us on their plans for relations with other countries, nor does China make such "inappropriate requests."

Russia has nothing against the US and China reaching agreements on energy supplies to Beijing: "If the agreements that have been reached or will be reached between Beijing and Washington are in the interests of our Chinese friends, we will be only glad."

Europe's participation in Ukrainian conflict

Germany is once again leading the movement in support of Nazism in Europe, with Vladimir Zelensky appointed as its leader: "Under his aegis, so to speak, a new union of Europeans is being implemented, with Germany playing a leading and proactive role. All of this is very alarming and reminiscent of history."

"Russian President Vladimir Putin tested the Europeans on their political maturity and sensitivity" by proposing Schroder as a negotiator for the EU.

Moscow is ready to talk to Europe but will not initiate dialogue itself: "We aren't asking for Europe to be involved in the negotiating process. President Putin's response should be considered with regard to our willingness [to build dialogue], but we will never beg or chase anyone."

The Europeans raised a big fuss after Putin's statements about candidates for negotiator with Moscow from the EU: "Look at the fuss they made."

"The Europeans have a poor record when it comes to their ability to make agreements."

Ukrainian settlement

In New Delhi, BRICS partners were informed in detail about the current situation in Ukraine: "I informed our partners in sufficient detail, at today's and yesterday's meetings, about our assessments of the current stage of the situation around Ukraine, including in the context of the issues on the BRICS agenda, bearing in mind the reform of the global governance system."

The Kiev regime's observance of Russian-speaking citizens' rights cannot be a condition for settling the conflict as it is its duty: "However, this cannot be a condition for a settlement. This must be done without any mutual concessions simply because it is Ukraine's duty both under the UN Charter and under its own Constitution, which no one has cancelled and which is the document where the rights of the Russian-speaking and other national minorities are enshrined and guaranteed by the state."

The talks held in Alaska resulted in a clear mutual understanding between Moscow and Washington: "We have always said that we have clear understandings following the talks that took place in Anchorage, Alaska."

Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump maintain mutual respect in bilateral relations: "The spirit of relations between the presidents of Russia and the US is always that of friendship, camaraderie and mutual respect."

The agreements that were reached at the Russia-US summit in Anchorage, Alaska, need to be confirmed, "better sooner than later."

Conflict around Iran

The United States' interest in Iran boils down to one thing today - oil: "Just as they invented the drug trafficking narrative to kidnap the President of Venezuela, and then it turned out that it was not about drug trafficking at all, but about Venezuelan oil that the US had its sights set on. And now with Iran, everything boils down to oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz."

The main task regarding the situation around Iran at the present moment is to stop the war and achieve a stable settlement: "Of course, the most important thing now is to stop the current war, to transform the precariously observed ceasefire into a final agreement on the cessation of hostilities. But in the long term, we need to think, of course, about some kind of stabilizing regional structure, about some kind of regional process."

India could play the role of a mediator in normalizing relations between Iran and the Arab monarchies: "Why not offer its good offices as the current chair of BRICS and invite Iran and the United Arab Emirates to start talking and prevent hostility."

BRICS work with Western countries

No one in BRICS intends to fence themselves off from the West: "I want to emphasize particularly that no one is trying to fence themselves off from the rest of the world, from the global minority."

BRICS countries will oppose attempts by the West to steer the agenda in the G20 towards "scandalous topics": "Attempts to steer the discussion towards some scandalous topics, around problems created by the West itself as a result of its aggressive policy, will not be supported by the BRICS countries."

Many countries are showing an interest in joining BRICS: "There is interest, as people understand that BRICS is a prototype of the future multipolar world order."

BRICS will refrain from expanding its membership for the time being: "Additionally, at this stage, we are not in a rush to increase the number of members, as BRICS doubled its size a couple of years ago. We need time to adapt to working within this significantly expanded format."

Relations with India

Russia and India are committed to increasing supplies of Russian hydrocarbons and fertilizers: "We share a common commitment to increasing supplies of Russian hydrocarbons and fertilizers."

"No disruptions or problems have ever existed so far, and I do not foresee them emerging."

Military-technical cooperation between Russia and India is traditionally at a good level, and the countries also have "good plans" in the area of space exploration.

Russia and India have long been shifting away from the use of the dollar in bilateral trade toward national currencies and the currencies of other countries that do not abuse their position in the global monetary and financial system.

Moscow is preparing to host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on an official visit later this year: "[Indian] Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed yesterday that he will pay a return visit to Russia this year. We will prepare for this summit as well."

Situation around Armenia

Russia and Armenia currently have close, yet complicated, relations, given the West's attempts to "subjugate" Yerevan: "We have relations with Armenia; these relations are close, allied, but at the same time complicated, given how the West is trying to subjugate Armenia, just like some other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States, and disrupt Armenia's mutually beneficial economic, trade, and investment ties with its partners in the CIS and the Eurasian Economic Union."

The member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will have a chance to discuss issues related to attempts to draw Armenia into the West's "orbit" at the union's summit in May: "Now, I think, there will be an optimal opportunity to discuss the emerging problems."

It is regrettable that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will be absent from the EAEU summit: "That would be, of course, unfortunate, because this is a good opportunity to clear the air."