MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. The West has been promoting Vladimir Zelensky's terrorism as a pivotal swing in the Ukraine conflict in the hope that this will finally bring Russia to its knees, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov in an interview.

The top diplomat also admitted he takes pride in Russians' reaction to attempts by Nazis to disrupt society.

In Lavrov's opinion, Russia should not be angry or throw tantrums, but should rather acquire "healthy anger" in its foreign policy. TASS has compiled the key statements by the Russian foreign minister.

The West promoting Zelensky's terrorism

The West has been promoting Vladimir Zelensky's terrorism as a pivotal swing in the Ukraine conflict in the hope that this will finally bring Russia to its knees: "They can see how many of his long-range weapons reach designated targets, and they have been promoting the current developments as a turning point, in the story that the Ukrainian character is capable of defeating the 'aggressor' Russia, which was seeking to conquer the entire Europe after Ukraine. Hence renewed calls to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia and decolonize Russia, overtly implying yet another attempt to tear our country down."

The West struggling against Russia

People need to understand the gravity of a situation where essentially the entire West is against Russia: "Now that they (Western representatives – TASS) are once again talking about a 'strategic defeat,' now that they are actively supporting our relocated people who are establishing various anti-Russian organizations in Europe, raising funds to carry on some underground struggle aimed at splitting Russia, they are no longer hiding any of that. Our central TV channels are showing everything the West is plotting. And perhaps, everyone needs to see that to understand that the situation is serious. The president is not hiding it. The entire 'civilized' world, as it calls itself, has turned against us."

The West is waging war against Russia through Ukraine with varying degrees of ferocity, with some countries playing big roles and others smaller ones: "The fact that our former allies, namely the Anglo-Saxons, are now, with varying degrees of ferocity – London more so and the US slightly less – are waging war against us through Ukraine with varying degrees of ferocity, flooding it with advanced weapons and announcing they will produce new lethal and high-tech anti-missile systems specifically for Ukraine – simply put, this has never happened before."

The West was preparing provocations in an effort to incite society against the authorities: "We started the special military operation in conditions when [Russian] society was generally calm, comfortable, and satisfied with its standard of living. And the fact that this did not suit the West is a fact. They did not want people to be calm. They wanted to incite them against the authorities and were preparing provocations."

The West and the Kiev regime, not achieving success on the battlefield, are seeking to "stir up turmoil" in Russia, but Russians perceive this correctly, "as those who defeated Nazism commanded."

The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have become 'the main warheads' against Russia as they are cancelling the ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons on their territory: "They are now the main 'warheads' that they [Western countries] are unleashing on us, knowing the 'hot temper' of these Estonian guys. Lithuania and Latvia have now stated that they are cancelling the ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons on their territory."

Ukrainian settlement

The whole world is waiting to see how the conflict in Ukraine ends with great attention and bated breath: "The world is impatient – and some are even waiting with bated breath – to see how this war, which was imposed by the West and to which President [Vladimir Putin of Russia] responded by launching the special military operation, ends."

"The West is now telling us that they will consider resuming negotiations with us. However, these negotiations would include Europe, America, Vladimir Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Before that, they believe a ceasefire must be declared. Then, the Westerners will deploy a multinational force led by France and the UK. Presumably, after that, they'll sit down to talk. What does this mean? It's an ultimatum. If we freeze the situation along the line of engagement, the Nazi regime will remain in place. They will not recognize any territories where referendums were held."

The West is issuing an ultimatum to Russia regarding the Ukrainian settlement, insisting on preserving the Nazi regime in Kiev, but Moscow has not compromised its pride: "But what makes our people unique is <...> the pride that the Russians have always had, and which remains."

Foreign policy and national interests

Russia should not be angry or throw tantrums, but should acquire "healthy anger" in its foreign policy: "There is nothing worse than getting enraged and wasting energy. One must concentrate. But healthy anger is quite appropriate. Not being furious, but acquiring healthy anger in terms of needing to push forward in all areas, in the direction of technological breakthrough, which is being talked about a lot now. And to decide 'angrily' that we must do this. To get angry at ourselves – [to tell ourselves] 'I want to get faster with achieving my goals.'"

Russia's national interests lie primarily in its independence as a power: "In the fact that we are an independent power, an independent civilization. That our borders are reliably secured. That no one even tries to think about advising us on how to arrange our lives inside Russia. And that all our peoples continue to have the rights guaranteed by the constitution: to education, to the preservation of their culture, traditions and religious beliefs."

It is in this capacity that Russia will be interested in cooperating on an equal footing with other major centers – China and India: "These major players, of course, together with us will defend justice in the hope that the West, and Europe in particular, will also eventually come to its senses and will be ready, to integrate into new, equal and honest systems of relations. So far, it is not ready for this. The United States is also absolutely not ready."