Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking before the 11th Terra Scientia National Educational Youth Forum in Solnechnogorosk, Russia, starkly warned the 4,000 students attending the forum, “For the first time in history, Russia stands alone against the entire West. In World War I and World War II, we had allies. Today, we have none on the battlefield. Thus, we must rely on ourselves. There is no room for weakness or wavering.”
Lavrov kept the prospect of the escalation of war before the audience’s mind, not wishing to lessen the immediate intensity of the moment. He stated, “Even during the Cold War, dialogue was there and helped opposing camps better understand each other’s intentions, first and foremost, to prevent a major war. Europe has lost that instinct, and the vaccine against Nazism has worn off.” He continued, “The same forces that once sought to destroy Russia are now re-emerging in Europe and have chosen Ukraine as a battering ram that they use against us. They welcome everything it is doing.”
