Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov focused on the fight against neocolonialism and the principle of national sovereignty at a press conference in Moscow on Jan. 14, following a meeting with the Minister of International Relations and Trade of Namibia.
In his report on the meeting itself, Lavrov noted Namibia’s support for Russia’s initiative at the UN in 2025 to make Dec. 14th the International Day Against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations, and said that Russia is cooperating to counter all forms of colonialism, which “the West is actively reviving in today’s circumstances.”
Lavrov said that Russia gives unwavering support for “Africa’s legitimate demands for greater representation on the [UN Security] Council,” and thanked “our Namibian friends for their support of Russian initiatives at the UN,” naming “combating the glorification of Nazism, opposing neo-colonial practices, promoting cooperation in information security, ensuring the peaceful use of outer space, and advancing key disarmament agendas.”
In terms of concrete areas of cooperation between Russia and Namibia, Lavrov mentioned geological exploration, extraction and processing of mineral resources (uranium), energy, agro-industrial complexes, fisheries, also training of healthcare personnel, and humanitarian aid through the World Food Programme. He also highlighted the importance of the Russia-Africa Forum, and said that a third summit is being prepared for 2026.
In answering media questions on the Russian view of the Venezuela situation, Lavrov reported that the Russian position remains unchanged: The U.S. operation was illegal, a view which is shared by the overwhelming majority of states in the global majority, as well as countries in the Global South and East, and only European countries and other Washington allies “diffidently” try to avoid condemning what is a clear violation of international law.
When asked about U.S. President Donald Trump’s announced sanctions on anyone doing business with Iran, Lavrov replied: “I do not believe that any third party can alter the fundamental nature of the relations between Moscow and Tehran. This nature is grounded in the agreements reached between the Presidents of the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran. It serves the interests of both states and both peoples…. Certainly, when the United States begins to act in disregard of all the norms it once promoted, advocating a model it termed ‘globalization,’ and subsequently abandons all its own principles, it raises the question of whether our American colleagues appear unreliable when behaving in such a manner.”
Lavrov also responded that Russia is open to meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner again about Ukraine, if the U.S. requests such a meeting.
