Russia slams US and allies for ‘arrogant’ policies in UN speech

The Russian government dedicated the majority of its Saturday speech before the UN General Assembly to castigating the US and European powers for their alleged arrogance abroad. Using terms like “national egotism,” “double standards,” and “attempts to distort the truth,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the international body that the US must pull back its unilateral approach to foreign affairs or risk the negative consequences. Lavrov placed particular emphasis on Ukraine. Slamming the American-led belief that Russia resorted to force to get what it wants in Ukraine and arbitrarily redraw geographic boundaries, Lavrov said that is actually how Washington operates.

Washington has openly declared its right to unilateral use of force anywhere to uphold its own interests. Military interference has become a norm — even despite the dismal outcome of all power operations that the U.S. has carried out over the recent years.

Minister Sergei Lavrov

Ukraine has been a focal point of tension between Russia and US-aligned countries. The US has accused Russia of providing direct military support to Ukrainian separatists; Russia has denied the accusations despite evidence of its troops in Eastern Ukraine. But Lavrov did not limit his foreign policy critique to Eastern Europe. The Russian foreign minister also accused the West of tactics that threaten to divide the entire world into two competing sides. Lavrov concluded his remarks by suggesting some countries were more motivated by internal politics than the common good.

Politics