Lavrov Says Europe Cut Itself Off From Russia, Moscow Will Not Return Seeking Sanctions Relief

Dragon Media News Desk

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Moscow does not seek isolation from Europe, arguing instead that European countries themselves chose to sever relations with Russia.

Speaking at a lecture hosted by the Russian Znanie Society on the sidelines of the 11th Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Lavrov said Europe appeared to believe that past cooperation was so important to Russia that Moscow would eventually return and ask for sanctions to be lifted.

He rejected that possibility, saying Russia would not go back to Europe seeking forgiveness or sanctions relief.

Lavrov also sharply criticized NATO and the European Union, claiming that both institutions require an enemy to sustain their political systems. He argued that portraying Russia as a threat serves domestic political purposes in many NATO and EU countries.

The Russian foreign minister also reacted strongly to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s statement about making Germany a leading military power in Europe again.

Lavrov said the use of the word “again” was particularly troubling given Germany’s history, warning that such rhetoric could be dangerous for Europe.

He further accused parts of Europe of allowing ideas associated with national and racial superiority to re-emerge.

Lavrov also addressed cultural relations with Germany. He said branches of the Goethe-Institut operating in Moscow, St Petersburg and Novosibirsk would be closed following the removal of Russia’s cultural centre from Germany.

According to Lavrov, Russia could not maintain German cultural institutions on its territory after its own cultural presence had been forced out of Germany.

Turning to Ukraine, Lavrov criticized restrictions affecting the Russian language in education, culture, public life and the media. He also condemned measures against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, describing them as inconsistent with the principles that European governments claim to defend.

Lavrov argued that the principles under which Russia and other countries originally recognized Ukraine’s independence had long since been abandoned, while Western governments continue to present Ukraine as a defender of European values.

On energy, the Russian foreign minister said the European Union had caused serious damage to its own economy by rejecting Russian energy supplies.

He also referred to the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines, arguing that Europe is paying a long-term economic price for breaking its energy relationship with Russia.

Lavrov’s remarks reflected Moscow’s continuing hard line toward Europe and suggested that Russia sees little prospect of returning to the pre-sanctions relationship under current political conditions.