Russian FM Lavrov’s online briefing with journalists: As it happened
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has held an online press conference with national and international journalists.
During the event on Thursday, Lavrov covered numerous topics and key aspects of the international situation from Moscow's point of view, including on the Ukraine conflict and Syria.
He discussed Russia’s foreign policy strategy and responses to international events, using the occasion to reflect on the year’s diplomatic challenges.
The press conference also highlighted Moscow’s commitment to transparency and communication with international media in light of complex contemporary geopolitical trends.
This live stream has ended.
26 December 2024
09:24 GMT“The United States has illegally occupied Syrian regions with the country’s main oil deposits and most fertile land,” Lavrov stated.
- 09:00 GMT
Lavrov has slammed the US policy of “eliminating competitors.” “I have the impression that the Americans – what’s their policy? Eliminating competitors. Right now, they are targeting Russia. They’ve already started targeting China, restricting supplies of various chips and microelectronic components to hinder technological development,” he said.
“The Chinese people, like the Russian people, will still achieve what is necessary for our development. But the methods are crystal clear. Beyond Russia and China, to a significant extent, Europe has also become a victim of the US course to eliminate any competition,” he stated.
- 08:59 GMT
Russia will open an embassy in the Dominican Republic in 2025, Lavrov announced.
- 08:58 GMT
France has approached Russia several times through closed channels to establish a “dialogue on the Ukrainian issue,” Lavrov stated.
- 08:52 GMT
Russia will respond to Ukrainian strikes on civilian facilities, but Moscow’s forces target only military-related sites, Lavrov has stressed.
“Striking civilian targets is not part of our rules,” he emphasized.
- 08:48 GMT
“Our Western counterparts will inevitably take part in a multipolar world but must overcome their psychological resistance to playing a less dominant role,” Lavrov stated.
The US must take the first step to restore dialogue with Moscow, the Russian foreign minister has stated.
Russia has noted signals from Trump’s team expressing interest in resuming dialogue, which is “reasonable and normal,” he said.
- 08:41 GMT
“All ideas less binding than the Minsk agreements aim to buy time for the Nazi regime,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
He also recalled that former Ukrainian President Petr Poroshenko, former French President Francois Hollande, and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel admitted they never intended to implement the Minsk agreements.
- 08:35 GMT
Israel should not secure its safety at Syria’s expense, as the destruction of military facilities in the Arab republic will “sow a storm,” Sergey Lavrov warned.
- 08:33 GMT
Moscow understands Ankara’s concerns about security on the Turkish-Syrian border, Lavrov has stated.
He emphasized that Türkiye's legitimate security interests must be addressed while preserving Syria’s territorial integrity.
- 08:32 GMT
Russia maintains contact with the new Syrian authorities, discussing the safety of Russian citizens and the embassy in the country, Lavrov has said.
He emphasized Moscow’s interest in dialogue with Damascus on other bilateral issues as well.
Russia is also ready to assist in organizing elections in Syria to ensure they are universally recognized and raise no concerns, the foreign minister added.
