The collective West is attempting to strategically defeat Russia in Central Asia and open a “second front” against it, Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Mikhail Galuzin stated during a roundtable discussion organized by the Federation Council committees on international affairs and defense and security.
“Central Asia, like the entire post-Soviet space, has become a target of unfriendly Western policies aimed at delivering strategic defeats to Russia, pushing us out of the region, and, ideally, opening the so-called 'second front' against us,” Galuzin said.
He highlighted Western efforts to coerce Central Asian nations into supporting sanctions and isolating Russia. These efforts also include re-establishing Western military and intelligence presence in the region under the guise of countering threats from Afghanistan. Additionally, the West is promoting transport and logistics routes from Asia to Europe that bypass Russia.
Galuzin pointed to Western attempts to exclude Russia from major resource development projects in Central Asia, including those involving gas, oil, and uranium. He described these efforts as part of a broader strategy to dismantle Russia's traditional ties with Central Asian states.
While Central Asian nations recognize the illegitimacy of Western sanctions against Russia, they are cautious due to the risks associated with Western restrictive measures, Galuzin noted. This dynamic, he concluded, poses a significant challenge to Russia's interests in the region.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS