Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke to reporters on Friday, Feb. 21 in Johannesburg after the conclusion of the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting there. He replied to a reporter about the U.S. refusal to co-sponsor a draft anti-Russian resolution of the UN General Assembly saying: “This reflects the pragmatism inherent in the policy of the Donald Trump administration. During meetings with leaders of several states—confirmed in discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and likely in engagements with other representatives of the World Majority —he has emphasized that his guiding principle is common sense. This is the sole factor I perceive as influencing the altered list of co-sponsors of this latest purposeless, dead-end resolution you mentioned.”
He also replied to another question on how G20 counterparts from friendly nations received the resumption of the Russian-American dialogue, saying: “All welcomed our meeting. They understand that this does not signify the conclusion of the era of confrontation between Russia and the West. However, the very initiation of dialogue itself represents a return to normalcy, a fact universally acknowledged and welcomed.
“The reaction of the ‘tragicomic figures’ heading the Brussels bureaucracy and NATO to the meeting in Riyadh is highly illustrative. The mere fact that representatives of two great powers sat down, engaged in discussion, and articulated their respective positions is perceived by them as a betrayal of Western interests. These individuals are not in good health.
“By and large, all our counterparts from the World Majority share this assessment,” he concluded.