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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Photo/The Hindu
MOSCOW – The expansion of the Western military presence in Asia risks causing a protracted conflict because the people of the region will not accept such a diktat. This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Russia Sergey Lavrov.
“By pushing bloc structures, such as AUKUS and NATO infrastructure into Asia, Western leaders are making a serious bid for a confrontation that lasts for years,” he told a meeting in Moscow.
“I cannot imagine the great civilizations of Asia following the line that the EU has sadly followed, and dutifully conveying Washington’s agenda,” said Lavrov.
Lavrov, speaking at the inaugural meeting of the International Russophile Movement, said that Moscow does not have the habit of ruling other countries unlike Western countries.
The new organization, which was welcomed by the foreign minister on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was proposed by Bulgarian politician Nikolay Malinov, whose sympathies for the country are well known.
In 2019, Putin awarded him the Order of Friendship, a Russian honor that recognizes foreign nationals for achievements in encouraging international cooperation.
AUKUS – a military alliance made up of the UK, US and Australia – was touted as a mechanism to counter Chinese influence in the Asia-Pacific region when it was established in 2021.
Beijing this week repeated its criticism of AUKUS and Canberra’s plans to acquire US-built nuclear-powered submarines, citing the risk of nuclear proliferation posed by the technology used on the ships.
