Russia will count only on itself and on those countries, which have proved their reliability and "do not dance to anyone's tune", Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday at the Primakov School project "100 questions to the leader". His answers are published on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"We will rely only on ourselves and on those countries which have proved their reliability and which do not 'dance to someone else's tune.' If Western countries come to their senses and offer some forms of cooperation, we will decide," he said.
The minister noted that if the West wants to offer Russia something in terms of resuming relations, then Moscow will seriously think whether it needs it. "When they get over their "frenzy" and decide that there is Russia, it is not going anywhere and, I am convinced, is strengthening every year. If they want to offer something in terms of resumption of relations, we will seriously think whether we will need it or not," Lavrov said.
The head of the foreign ministry also emphasized the importance for Russia to achieve full independence in the development of critical industries. "We are now creating not just some kind of import substitution process. We should stop depending on supplies from the West for the security, economic and social development of critical sectors of our country," he said.
On the Eurasian region
Lavrov added that Russia should focus on the Eurasian region in the further development of the country and its capabilities. "Now the center of world development has shifted to Eurasia. We have the most extensive network of partnerships in the Eurasian region at this moment. We need to rely on them in the further development of our country, its transport, transit and logistics capabilities," he said.
In this regard, Lavrov stressed that Eurasia "is becoming the most promising region of the world".
"We need to be engaged in its arrangement, not using someone else's tools like the dollar, the SWIFT financial messaging system, but creating our own. It's not that hard to do," the minister continued. - "We are already significantly increasing the share of trade, which is served in national currencies of partner countries: Russia-China, Russia-India, Russia-Iran, and within the Eurasian Economic Union. We need to look forward. Yes, this is a challenge. You need to be much more engaged in the development of your country. But it is a huge plus and an opportunity".
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS