In a forceful speech, Sergey Lavrov talks about an “era of unprecedented change” The foreign minister notes that the West seeks to preserve its hegemony by all means while hindering the rise of new competitors in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The use of military force would be one of the most aggressive instruments, citing Venezuela and Iran – all in blatant violation of international law. On Ukraine, he states that “a war” has been declared on Russia, with Kiev serving as a “geopolitical pawn,” and highlights NATO expansion as a central cause of the conflict, while praising Donald Trump’s “frankness” on this issue. Here is the full transcript of these remarks made during a meeting with leaders of non-profit organizations in Moscow on April 24, 2026:
“Hello, I am glad to see you again. We gather in this way every year. I know that the organizations you represent and the departments of our ministry, the directors, and their staff, along with the vice-ministers responsible for specific areas, maintain contacts and exchange information. As is customary at these annual events, we will focus on a frank and interactive discussion about international issues that are well understood and have an impact on your important and valuable activities. If you do not mind, I will say a few words about our assessment of the recent international developments, then we will begin the interactive discussion. President Putin has repeatedly emphasized that the world is entering an era of unprecedented change. Similar assessments have been publicly made by Chinese President Xi Jinping. As President Putin pointed out, in these turbulent circumstances, Russia, due to its history, geography, and civilizational identity, plays a central role in these processes. As our Chinese friends say, a crisis is an interaction between danger and great opportunities. This is how the world works. Such periods have occurred many times throughout history.”
“The collective policy of the West constitutes the main threat to international peace and security. We continue to call it ‘collective’, although this collective dimension is now torn apart by disagreements. Nevertheless, their strategic goal, we have no doubt, remains the same: to dominate by all means, to dominate and continue to dominate, and preserve their hegemony for as long as possible, while containing the growth of new global centers and competitors in the countries of the majority of the world in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Every day, we witness in real time that to preserve their hegemony and achieve these ambitious goals, they resort to illegal sanctions, plundering, theft of other countries’ sovereign assets, extortion, threats, and, of course, the use …
[The article continues to cover various geopolitical aspects, speeches, and discussions between Sergey Lavrov and leaders of non-profit organizations, emphasizing the importance of cooperation and dialogue on international issues.]
The article concludes by highlighting the creation of an International Organization for the Russian Language and reaffirming Russia’s commitment to working with non-profit organizations in various domains.”]
