Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement and answers to media questions following the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting
New Delhi, March 2, 2023
It was agreed that from now on the
African Union will be a full-fledged member of the G20, just as the EU that has been working in this capacity for several years now.
We reaffirmed Russia’s position on the importance of this by
expanding the representation of the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
All multilateral institutions are being tested for compliance with the new geopolitical realities. Given the new circumstances, the associations (this includes the UN and the G20 alike) which act as platforms to find a balance of interests rather than to present their approaches or to make claims to justify their alleged entitlement to hegemony, will remain in high demand.
Like any document adopted by the entire international community, the UN Charter cannot be fulfilled selectively. It is not a menu to choose from.
The West continues to advance its interests by other means and methods in the new environment without taking into account the opinion of the vast majority of the world community. Developing countries see it all perfectly well.
We always support the right of any country to choose its own priorities. We don’t just proceed from understanding, but we know that our neighbours, partners and allies in the CSTO, the EAEU and the CIS confirm, in all of their contacts, their commitment to the obligations assumed in these integration structures.
We will continue fighting for justice for the Ukrainian people, protect the interests of ethnic Russians in Ukraine, and ensure the interests of the Ukrainian republics and regions that spoke out at the referendum in favour of reuniting with the Russian Federation.
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