Nournews: On the eve of February 10, Russia’s Diplomat’s Day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in an interview with Ksenia Kamisarova, spoke about the transition of the international system toward a multipolar world, intensifying geopolitical competition, the continuation of Western sanctions, Russia’s initiatives within BRICS, the necessity of ensuring national security, and the formation of the “Greater Eurasian Partnership.” He stressed that Moscow will not allow a military threat to be entrenched along its borders.
Q: February 10 is celebrated as Diplomat’s Day in Russia. What does this day mean to you, and what do you consider the main achievements of the Foreign Ministry?
Lavrov: Assessing the results of our work is the prerogative of the President and the Russian people. Under the Constitution, the President determines foreign policy, and the “Foreign Policy Concept” was approved in March 2023, reflecting profound and long-term global transformations.
Our task is to implement this framework in bilateral and multilateral relations—whether in trade and investment, scientific cooperation, or international organizations. We pay particular attention to the CIS, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and the post-Soviet space.
The world is now objectively transitioning to a multipolar order—neither the bipolar system of the Soviet–U.S. era nor the unipolar system after the collapse of the USSR. The United States, which for many years served as the engine of the global economy and the core of the financial system, is objectively losing part of its economic influence.
In contrast, China, India, Brazil, and African countries are strengthening their positions. Africa no longer wants to remain merely a raw-material exporter and seeks industrial development.
However, this transition is accompanied by intense competition. The West is unwilling to relinquish its dominant positions. Sanctions against Russian companies such as Lukoil and Rosneft, pressure on our partners, and the use of the dollar as a political tool are examples of this approach.
Nevertheless, BRICS countries’ GDP in purchasing power parity terms has surpassed that of the G7. This trend is objective and irreversible.
Our main goal is clear: ensuring the sustainability of our country. This means guaranteeing national security, preventing threats from becoming entrenched along our borders, and creating favorable external conditions for domestic development and improving people’s living standards.
We will not allow threatening weapons to be deployed in Ukraine, and the rights of Russians and Russian speakers in Crimea, Donbas, and Novorossiya will be ensured.
Q: With Indonesia joining BRICS, is much of your activity now focused on cooperation within this framework?
Lavrov: At a time when the West is losing influence but still resorts to Bretton Woods mechanisms to maintain hegemony, creating complementary structures is inevitable.
We are not seeking to dismantle the IMF or the World Bank; rather, we want them reformed so that the share of emerging economies is reflected. But the United States has turned the dollar into a tool of pressure, and sanctions imposed during the Biden administration continue to be extended.
While discussions about resolving the Ukraine crisis are underway, new sanctions are simultaneously being imposed, and pressure is exerted on India and other partners to stop purchasing Russian energy.
During Russia’s BRICS chairmanship in Kazan, several initiatives were launched, including:
Alternative payment platforms
Settlements in national currencies
A trade insurance mechanism
A grain exchange
A new investment platform
These measures are not directed against anyone but are intended to shield cooperation from unilateral actions.
Q: What is the role of the “Greater Eurasian Partnership” in Russia’s foreign policy?
Lavrov: This initiative was proposed in 2015. Eurasia is the world’s largest and most populous continent and the cradle of major Chinese, Indian, Arab, Iranian, and Russian civilizations.
While Africa and Latin America have comprehensive continental frameworks, Eurasia lacks such a structure. Organizations such as NATO and the EU were formed on Euro-Atlantic logic and are now losing their former functions.
Our goal is to establish a Eurasian security architecture based on cooperation among the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ASEAN, and the Belt and Road Initiative.
Projects such as the North–South Transport Corridor and the development of the Northern Sea Route are part of this framework.
BRICS can also become a platform for coordinating Eurasian, African, and Latin American development programs.
Q: With India assuming the rotating BRICS presidency, what do you expect from this period?
Lavrov: India’s priorities—stability, innovation, sustainable development, counterterrorism, food and energy security, and information technology security—are fully aligned with today’s needs.
Energy security is particularly important at a time when the United States is seeking to control global supply routes.
The upcoming summit on artificial intelligence in India is very important, as international rules in this field have not yet been established. We oppose any centralized structures that restrict national sovereignty but support transparency.
India’s presidency program is balanced and forward-looking, and we will actively support it.
NOURNEWS