MOSCOW, February 14th. /tass/. Attempts by the West, representing a global minority, to isolate Russia have failed . Western hostility has not only created threats, but also opened up new opportunities for Russia's interaction with the global East and South, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said during a government hour in the State Duma.
In these conditions, Russia's sovereign foreign policy has put it "at the forefront of the struggle for a better future of the world", it faces the task of forming a new architecture of continental security in the Eurasian space, the minister is sure.
TASS has compiled the main statements of the Foreign Minister.
Strengthening sovereignty
The main direction of work on the foreign policy circuit " remains the formation of favorable, safe conditions for the stable development of the country, strengthening its sovereignty, and improving the quality of life of our people."
The increase in tension in the world is not due to the fault of the Russian Federation, but due to the unwillingness of the collective West, led by the United States, to abandon the course of global domination. The "short-sighted policy" of the Western minority has put Russia in front of the need to defend its position. "The choice made by the president of the country [Vladimir Putin] with the support of the political class and the whole people to defend the vital interests of Russia has put our country, without exaggeration, at the forefront of the struggle for a better future for the whole world."
The United States, destabilizing region after region, is trying to control chaos, but in fact "they do not know what they are doing."
Position on Ukraine
Russia remains open to a political and diplomatic settlement in Ukraine "on the basis of taking into account our legitimate interests, taking into account the realities." However, it will not be possible to meet at the negotiating table "yet" due to the unwillingness of "those who declared war on us" to take into account Moscow's position.
The failure of attempts to isolate Russia
"The plans of the Western minority to isolate Russia, to create a kind of sanitary cordon around us have failed." "The shooters of anti-Russian initiatives themselves have to admit this." Nevertheless, the potential for hostility has not yet been exhausted.
The West continues to increase pressure on Russia and its allies, using "not only the Kiev regime, but also a wide arsenal of hybrid warfare tools in the economy, finance, information space, culture, and sports."
In this context, it is important for Moscow to clearly represent the intentions of its detractors and, based on the concept of foreign policy, continue to implement a sovereign foreign policy course. "The hostile line of the collective West not only creates threats, but also opens up additional opportunities for our activity in various geographical areas."
Developing relations with allies and partners
This year, Russia and China will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, which are now at the best level in history. "Our partnership plays a stabilizing role in world affairs." The partnership "is based on an intensive and trusting dialogue between our leaders - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping."
Moscow is also working to expand its diplomatic presence in Africa, which is designed to become "one of the poles of the emerging multipolar world."
Interaction in international associations
Russia will continue to work in the Group of Twenty and will participate in the G20 ministerial meeting in Rio de Janeiro next week. Together with the states of the global South, the Russian Federation will continue to stop attempts to turn the G20 into a tool for achieving "narrow-minded tasks, including the Ukrainization of the agenda of this association."
The West's attempts to deprive the Russian delegation of the right to vote in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly are outrageous. The issue of Russia's withdrawal from the organization has not yet been discussed, but it is "hanging in the air." Whether the allies will follow the Russian Federation is "another matter," their position "must be fully taken into account."
Moscow is working to strengthen the potential of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) together with its allies, as the "task of forming a new architecture of continental security in the Eurasian space" has matured.
About payment systems
It is necessary to continue working on the creation of alternative dollar payment platforms. It is necessary to ensure that issues of a strategic nature, security and development of the state do not depend on discrediting mechanisms that the West has been controlling for many years. This goal has been proclaimed, in particular, within the framework of the BRICS. But at this stage, the issue of creating a single BRICS currency "hardly has prospects."
Protection of the rights of Russian citizens abroad
Against the background of an unbalanced situation in the world, Russia's absolute priority remains the protection of the rights of Russian citizens abroad.
The Russian Foreign Ministry is doing "everything necessary to ensure that voting abroad takes place at a high organizational level" and Russians can vote in the presidential elections in March. In addition, Moscow, regardless of Western pressure on compatriots, will provide support for the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War abroad.
Russia will do everything possible to resume the Transnistrian settlement process by the 5+2 group (Moldova, Transnistria, OSCE, Russia, Ukraine and observers from the United States and the EU) and will not allow about 200 thousand Russian citizens in Transnistria to become victims of another Western adventure to destabilize the region.