Lavrov: Western Collectivity Slows Down the Formation of a Multipolar World Order

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Indonesia and ASEAN were Russia's strategic partners. On the other hand, Lavrov harshly criticized the West and Kiev.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.

In the midst of his busy schedule, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took the time to answer written questions from Kompas. Several issues, particularly the war in Ukraine, the tug-of-war between various global geopolitical powers, and regional issues, especially ASEAN, were discussed in the interview.

Here's the excerpt:

Question: If the war in Ukraine continues, what will happen next? What will Russia do?

In my opinion, the answer to your question would be appropriate if it starts with an explanation about the root causes of the events in Ukraine. We often hear that the conflict seems to have only started in February 2022 due to the "unreasonable aggression" from Russia. This is a completely wrong understanding.

KEMENTERIAN LUAR NEGERI RUSIA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

Allow me to remind you that in February 2014, Washington and its European Union allies staged a coup in Kiev. This event marked the beginning of the development of subsequent events in history.

The coup has overthrown the elected president of Ukraine through legitimate election results, and anti-Russia pro-Western groups have taken power with the support of neo-Nazi groups, who are followers of Hitler collaborator Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych. This event has shaken the country to its core, as Ukraine could have developed peacefully if it had been able to maintain a complex balance of political and internal ethnic relations. This balance was destroyed by utterly brutal methods on the advice of the West, which attempted to solve the geopolitical problem of developing regions that had once been part of a country inhabited by Russians and speaking Russian, historically closely tied to Moscow.

After the new Kiev government threatened the eastern regions of Ukraine that support the deposed President Viktor Yanukovych, Crimea declared its independence from Ukraine. The people of Crimea exercised their right to self-determination in accordance with international law and declared their support for reunification with Russia.

An armed uprising broke out in the Russian Donbass region. The Kiev regime did not even think of solving the problem through political diplomacy and for years systematically tried to exterminate the population of the region simply because they wanted to speak their native language, namely Russian, respect their history, remember and honor the heroes of the war. Great Patriotic War, almost 80 years ago, which succeeded in liberating Europeans from the enormity of Hitler's atrocities.

Read also: One ​​Year Russo-Ukrainian War

Ukraine is then considered as a military breaker tool against Russia, and the United States and European Union countries are pushing the Kiev regime to use violence in solving the "Donbass problem" - the ethnic cleansing of Russian-speaking ethnic residents. Then there was a cynical admission from former leaders of Germany and France, Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande, stating that the "Minsk Package of Measures" agreement, along with President Vladimir Putin, their presence and participation there was only to buy time and give Kiev a chance to build their military potential.

AFP/ANATOLII STEPANOV

Residents were inside a room of their home that was destroyed due to the war between Russia and Ukraine in Donetsk, Ukraine on Monday (25/7/2022).

The escalating situation has left Russia with no choice but to recognize the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, which is fully in accordance with international law, and to enter into agreements of friendship, cooperation, and mutual assistance with them. In response to their official request for assistance, Special Military Operations have been launched, in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter regarding the right to self-defense, in order to protect the people and eliminate the military threat from the Kiev regime.

Then why hasn't the armed confrontation in Ukraine stopped? The answer is very simple - it will continue until the West abandons its plans to maintain dominance and their obsession with causing Russia's strategic defeat through their puppet Kiev. So far, there has been no sign of a change in their position, and we see how America and its allies continue to rush to pump weapons into Ukraine and push Vladimir Zelenskyy to continue the fighting.

Read also: Russia Versus West Arms Fight

The Western attitude in ignoring initiatives from developing countries is also clear. This includes proposals conveyed by Indonesian President Joko Widodo during his visit to Moscow on June 30, 2022, where he spoke about the need for a ceasefire, ensuring humanitarian aid and food security, and expressing his readiness to "establish communication" between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine.

Regarding the proposal for resolving the Ukrainian crisis on June 3, 2023, Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto also expressed his opinion. However, his words were immediately responded to sharply by Kiev: they stated that they did not need a mediator at the moment.

A sign of the aggressive attitude of the Kiev regime and its supporters was also put forward by Vladimir Zelenskyy through the "peace formula" that they are trying to apply at the moment, which they regard as the only possible way for a settlement. But in fact, this was a series of ultimatum demands made against Russia, including the establishment of a special court to try Russian military and political leadersand the confiscation of tangible assets as "reparation of war". In order to legitimize this approach, which should have nothing to do with the approach to finding a solution, in the near future they want to organize a kind of "peace summit", to which developing countries will be invited. I am sure that Indonesia is well aware of the dangerous background of such a plan and will not succumb to the false rhetoric of supporters of the last Ukrainian war.

How will Russia achieve a new balance of international politics and according to what scheme? It is believed that a new "cold war" has begun and will continue. What are the implications for the global political economy? What is Russia's policy in the new Cold War?

We tend not to define the current stage of international relations as the "new cold war". We are talking about different things, namely about the formation of a multipolar world order. This is an objective process. Everyone sees that the new centers of global critical decision-making are further strengthening their positions in Eurasia, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. These countries and their associations recognize the values ​​of national interest, independence, sovereignty, cultural and civilizational identity, and international cooperation. That is, they fully follow the trends in world development and therefore manage to achieve new successes.

The Western collectivity led by the United States is actually trying to slow down and reverse this process. Their goal is not to strengthen global security and engage in mutual development, but only to maintain their hegemony in world affairs and further carry out neo-colonial agendas. In short, nothing has changed, as usual, they solve their problems at the expense of others.

One-sided economic sanctions and the foreign policies of our Western colleagues, which are generally selfish in nature, actually undermine the world's food and energy security. It is their actions that cause distress for developing countries. Huge amounts of money that could be poured into promoting international development, including to countries most in need, are currently being burned in the form of thousands of tonnes of military equipment and ammunition supplied to Ukrainian neo-Nazi groups.

Also read: Facing Western Exclusion, Russia Collaborates with Nearly Half of the World

However, a medal has another, more positive side. Western egocentrism that disregards the interests of Global South and East countries actually contributes to the search for alternative cooperation formats in all fields. Due to the confiscation of Russia's foreign reserves in the US and Europe, there is a growing understanding in the global community that no one is immune from the confiscation of tangible assets stored in Western jurisdiction. Not only limited to Russia, several other countries are consistently reducing their dependence on the US dollar, starting to switch to the use of alternative payment and calculation systems through national currencies.

At the same time, the effectiveness of interstate association, in which Western countries do not participate, is increasing. Examples of modern multilateral diplomacy are the activities of SCO and BRICS. There are no "leaders" or "followers", and decisions are made based on consensus. We welcome Indonesia's interest in deepening cooperation with these associations, which certainly have a bright future.

BPMI SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN

President Joko Widodo met with President of Russia Vladimir Putin on Thursday (30/6/2022). The bilateral meeting was conducted to discuss several issues including the Russia-Ukraine war. The meeting concluded with a lunch reception and a joint press statement.

According to Russia, what position does Indonesia occupy in the current world polarization, for Asia and Southeast Asia? How is the current development of relations between Russia and Indonesia under the pressure of the world's major powers?

Indonesia is a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, a leader of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and one of Russia's key partners in the Asia-Pacific region. We are impressed by the commitment of our Indonesian friends to build relations between countries on the basis of equality, prioritizing common interests and respecting the principle of equal and inseparable security.

We highly appreciate Jakarta's foreign policy independence, which contributes to creating a more just global order, pushing the interests of East and South Global countries in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals and resolving various conflicts. Indonesia's vital role in global affairs is confirmed by the success of Jakarta's G20 presidency last year.

Also read: Indonesia Continues to Strive for Russian-Ukrainian Peace

I am pleased to state that despite the unjust anti-Russia sanctions imposed by Washington and its allies, the Russia-Indonesia cooperation continues to develop in a highly constructive manner. We have a strong foundation of contracts and laws. The basis for this is the 2003 Declaration on the Basis of Friendly Relations and Partnership in the 21st Century.

"Today we can say that our relationship has actually reached the level of a strategic partnership. Political dialogue has been marked by high intensity. In June 2022, negotiations were held in Moscow between President Vladimir Putin and Joko Widodo. In December 2022, the Chairperson of the Federal Council of the Federal Assembly (the upper house of parliament) of the Russian Federation, Valentina Matvienko, visited Jakarta for a working visit."

The trade and economic partnership between the two countries is also developing. In 2022, the trade value increased by nearly 45 percent, reaching 4.79 billion US dollars.

We highly prioritize the liberalization of reciprocal trade provisions in the EAEU-Indonesia format. The process of negotiating a free trade agreement is progressing well.

"As the head of Russia's diplomatic department, I want to specifically note our constructive cooperation in the UN and other multilateral platforms on various urgent international issues, including food and energy security. This year, we have worked closely with Jakarta as the Chair of ASEAN in the EAC, ARF, SMOA Plus agendas, as well as the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership."

KEMENTERIAN LUAR NEGERI RUSIA

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

What proposals can Russia put forward to help Indonesia and ASEAN in the situation around Myanmar? What is Russia's attitude towards the authority and central role of ASEAN, even though it is known that Russia is open to dialogue with the Myanmar military group? Will you be attending the ASEAN meeting in July? If so, what are your priorities?

When contacting the authorities in Naypyidaw, we always emphasize the central role played by ASEAN in international efforts to resolve the situation in Myanmar. We support Indonesia's Chairmanship's efforts to provide additional impetus to the collective steps to implement the Five-Point Consensus. We take note of the Association's role in mobilizing humanitarian assistance to those in need.

We consider that the joint efforts of ASEAN's 10 member states and other concerned countries towards Myanmar should be based on close cooperation with Naypyidaw officials. It is important not to allow differences in choosing the best way to encourage a resolution in the country to have a negative impact on the unity of the Association and its central role in regional affairs.

Also read: Russia's support for ASEAN

We are confident that the world community is called upon to help normalize the situation in Myanmar without interfering in its domestic affairs. We always adhere to this principle and position in building our relationship with Myanmar's leadership, regardless of the individuals and political forces in power.

In the near future, I plan to travel for a ministerial-level meeting of ASEAN in Jakarta. We are giving special attention to the development of a strategic partnership with the Association, which will celebrate its 5th anniversary in 2023. We have a history of relationships for more than three decades. Further growth of the relationship has become one of the priorities of Russia's foreign policy. Its growth is one of the concepts in Russia's foreign policy, which has been updated and approved by President Vladimir Putin at the end of March this year.

The implementation of the Comprehensive Action Plan Russia-ASEAN agreed by leaders in 2021 is progressing dynamically. Active political dialogue has also been established. Industrial cooperation is increasingly advancing with a focus on high science and technology fields. Specifically shown by the Russia-ASEAN Year of Science and Technology Cooperation in 2022. Our agenda is to launch new areas of cooperation, including digital transformation and smart city development, as well as energy and food security.

Through the East Asia Summit, Russia has proposed several concrete ideas. Among them are the launch of a collective response mechanism to pandemic threats, the development of cooperation between tourism departments, and the formation of relationships between volunteer organizations. ASEAN supports us in all designated areas of work.

In the framework of the ARF which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, we pay special attention to issues to ensure the safety of the use of information and communication technology and to reduce nuclear risks. In this field, Russia has produced practical initiatives.

We deliberately work to strengthen the architecture created around ASEAN to ensure stability and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, the United States and its NATO allies, with the support of their respective regional players, stubbornly pursue policies that launch alternative bloc structures, including under the brand "Indo-Pacific". These efforts are not aimed at cooperation, but rather prevention and confrontation. As a result, the Asean-centric system is facing a serious endurance test. Russia is a reliable supporter of the Association. It is impossible to allow the extension of negative scenarios carried out by the US and NATO in other parts of the world to the Asia-Pacific region.

Looking at current regional and global developments, especially in terms of stability and security, as well as food security, energy, health and trade, what exactly can Russia offer to Indonesia and to countries in the Indo-Pacific region?

Of course, we have something we can offer countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the Indian Ocean zone. Russia is one of the world's leading suppliers of food, oil, gas and precious minerals, including rare earth metals. Most of Russia's exports of agricultural products (60 percent) go to Asian countries. In the past year, our foreign trade with many partners in the international arena, including in Asia, has grown significantly.

Russia has achieved impressive results in the development of high-tech manufacturing clusters. Our country is in the top 10 in terms of digitalization of public administration, scientific achievements and inventions of robotics, quantum technology and artificial intelligence technology, as well as development of smart cities. ASEAN epidemiologists can keep up with developments in the field of combating infectious diseases as part of a three-year follow-up training program ending in late 2022.

Given the difficult situation currently experienced in the global economy, issues of energy and food security have become the top priorities in our dialogue with the ten member countries of ASEAN. In addition to traditional oil and gas and coal industries, the recently adopted Russia-ASEAN energy work plan places significant emphasis on renewable energy, nuclear, and low-carbon energy.

Our experts are ready to discuss steps to deepen cooperation in the field of food.

Meanwhile, for Indonesia, Russia is ready to increase wheat exports to your country, as well as for meat, including meat that meets halal standards. We are interested in expanding such cooperation through the Muslim areas of Russia.

We believe that the increase in oil and petroleum product supply from Russia will help improve Jakarta's energy resilience. We are ready to share advanced solutions in the field of atomic usage for peace, including the construction of large and small modern nuclear power plants, the application of non-energy nuclear technology, nuclear infrastructure development, and personnel training.

We have carefully studied the possibility of involving Russian transportation, information, and communication companies in the creation of integrated infrastructure for the new capital city - Nusantara city in Kalimantan island.

The experience in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic shows significant opportunities for bilateral cooperation in the field of anti-epidemics.

The practical cooperation interests between Russia and ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, will be answered with the launch of consultations on the use of national currencies in mutual settlements. We are ready for substantive work in this regard and in all other areas that I have mentioned above.