Trump Only Seeks More Power for the United States: Lavrov

The Russian diplomat highlighted that Washington’s interests have remained consistent over time.

Jan 21, 2025

On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed his disagreement with the approaches adopted by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding foreign policy.

During a press conference, Lavrov commented that Trump’s recent decrees and plans indicate the methods his administration will use to promote American interests on the international stage. “It is clear that this is an indicator of the methods President Trump and his administration intend to use to advance U.S. interests in the international arena,” he stated.

Lavrov highlighted that Washington’s interests have remained consistent over time, regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans hold power. “The interest lies in always being stronger than any rival,” the Russian diplomat pointed out.

These statements came in response to Trump’s decisions to withdraw from international organizations and treaties, as well as his territorial ambitions regarding Greenland and the Panama Canal. In particular, Lavrov urged the U.S. to first consider the opinion of Greenland’s residents following Trump’s proposal for annexation.

Russia also reiterated its commitment to the neutrality of the Panama Canal. Alexander Schetinin, the director of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry’s Latin America Department, emphasized that “the international legal status of the canal is enshrined in the treaty signed between the U.S. and Panama in 1977. He reminded that Russia has been a party to the protocol since 1988 and reaffirmed its intention to maintain the canal as a “safe and open” route for international transit.

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Additionally, Lavrov stated that Moscow respects “the choice of the American people” and noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded positively to the possibility of establishing contact with Trump. In this regard, Lavrov said, “President Trump assured that he intends to contact the Russian president soon.”

Before Trump’s inauguration, Putin congratulated him during an extraordinary meeting of Russia’s Security Council and expressed support for his stance on avoiding a Third World War.

In this context, Lavrov indicated that Moscow is “open” to dialogue with the new U.S. administration, particularly regarding the conflict in Ukraine. He noted, “Here, the most important thing is to eradicate the original causes of the crisis,” referring to NATO’s expansion toward Russia’s borders.

According to Lavrov, the objective should be to achieve “lasting peace” that respects “the legitimate interests of all people and all nations living in this region.”

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