Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to hold 2021 diplomatic year in review press conference
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will hold a press conference today summarizing the results of Russian diplomacy in 2021.
The press conference is an annual Russian occurrence that intends to inform the Russian public of successes and challenges that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs faced in the previous year.
Throughout 2021, Russia continued developing its sphere of influence throughout Eurasia. While the West has focused on Russia’s hostility on the Ukrainian border, Moscow has made major diplomatic inroads with its neighbors including Belarus, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. Most notably, Russia and China economic cooperation flourished. The countries seek to reach $200 billion in bilateral trade by 2024.
The conference follows Tuesday’s security talks between the US and Russia. Lavrov’s talking points will focus on promoting Russian action as a response to Western aggression. Expect him to apply this rhetoric to the Ukrainian issue as NATO members threaten Russia with military exercises and economic sanctions.
Additionally, expect Russia to flaunt itself as responsible international actor in comparison to the US, pointing to its diplomatic efforts in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the Iranian nuclear negotiations. Despite the harsh rhetoric, it will do little to worsen what are already strained Russia-US relations.
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