“Have you been interested in these years [in] what is going on in Iraq, what is going on in Afghanistan?” he requested his interviewer, pausing to a spherical of applause. “[You] believe that the United States has the right to declare a threat to its national interest, any place on earth, like they did in Yugoslavia, in Iraq, in Libya, in Syria … and you don’t ask them any questions?”

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However, his assertion that Moscow was the sufferer, not the aggressor, within the battle elicited laughter, groans and a collective eye roll from the viewers. “The war was launched against us using the Ukrainian people,” he mentioned to audible groans and derision.

Lavrov made the feedback in the course of the Raisina Dialogue — certainly one of a shrinking variety of main worldwide conferences that also invite Russian officers within the aftermath of the Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine. Hosted by India’s Observer Research Foundation suppose tank, it additionally allowed for an viewers with a uncommon mixture of allegiances in an more and more polarized world.

The viewers response represents the divided views in India and lots of different elements of the world concerning the struggle. On Thursday, the assembly in New Delhi of the international ministers of the Group of 20, representing the world’s largest economies, did not launch a joint settlement because of opposition from China and Russia on wording concerning the Ukraine struggle. Lavrov has traveled extensively throughout Asia, Africa and the Middle East elevating help for the Russian view of the battle.

In explicit, India has carved out a place in between the 2 world powers because it additionally makes an attempt to signify a collective Global South voice on the world stage. With a powerful historic relationship with Russia courting again to its independence, it has ramped up its imports of Russian crude oil to document ranges and maintained its reliance on the Kremlin’s navy provides. India has persistently abstained from all United Nation votes calling for an finish to the Russian invasion.

Lavrov’s criticism of what he described as Western hypocrisy and its selective give attention to human rights fell on receptive ears in India, the place officers have additionally complained about double requirements.

In December, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was asked concerning the lack of condemnation for Russia’s invasion. “I can give you many instances of countries who have violated the sovereignty of another country,” he replied. “If I were to ask where Europe stood on a lot of those, I am afraid I would get a long silence.”

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At the Raisina Dialogue, Lavrov made clear that Russia would now not depend on Western gamers and as a substitute would shift its power coverage towards “reliable” and “credible” companions similar to India and China. He mentioned the world will not be affected by Russia’s actions however somewhat by the West’s reactions to Russia.

He instructed his interviewer, Sunjoy Joshi, chairman of the Observer Research Foundation, that he ought to have “done his homework” earlier than asking him questions on Russia’s invasion. “You being the head of such a distinguished audience, I fail to understand why you don’t understand,” he mentioned, to widespread chuckles within the room.

He interrupted Joshi constantly, repeating, “Wait a second, wait a second” because the viewers laughed.

He mentioned this G-20 was “all about what to do with Ukraine,” and he requested repeatedly whether or not the group was ever so involved about occasions in Iraq, Libya Afghanistan and Yugoslavia.

“Nobody was giving a d— about anything, except finance and macroeconomic policies, which G-20 formed for,” he mentioned. “If this isn’t a double standard, then I am not a minister.”