Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Sunday that more than $300 billion was robbed from Russia, the bulk of which was payouts for oil and gas deliveries, since energy giant Gazprom was required to deposit money in Western bank accounts.
The foreign minister addressed a wide variety of issues in ties between Moscow and the collective West in an extensive interview with an Italian television network. In particular, broad sanctions imposed on Russian businesses and the oil and gas industry following the start of Russia’s special military campaign in Ukraine.
“They wanted to ‘punish’ Russia, so they stole it,” Lavrov told the Italian Mediaset broadcaster, explaining that “money was stolen from us (over $300 billion)… most of the amount was received for oil and gas supplies.”
“Now we are offered to continue trading as before, and the money will remain with them,” Lavrov said.
“When they want, they will pocket them again. That’s the reason,” he added, noting that in the West, “no one talks about this.”
When asked why Russia is withholding gas supply, which has alarmed Italy, Lavrov stated that the West might divert funds from Russia at any point if the circumstances remained unaltered.
“…’Gazprom’ was forced to keep the money on its accounts in Western banks (according to your rules),” Lavrov said, adding that “now we proposed that the deliveries be considered paid for not when Gazprombank gets the euros or dollars, but when they are converted into rubles, which can no longer be stolen.”
The foreign minister stated that “nothing changes for buyers,” since they continue to pay the sums mentioned in the contract in euros and dollars, and the conversion will take place later.
“We have no right before our own people to allow the West to continue its thieving habits.”
Sergey Lavrov
Moreover, Lavrov expressed astonishment that Italy is at the forefront of lobbying for sanctions against Russia, noting that this was unusual given Rome’s close connections with Moscow.
“Italy is in the forefront of those who not only accept anti-Russian sanctions, but also put forward initiatives in every possible way. It was really strange for me to see it, but now we are already used to the fact that Italy can be like that,” he said.
Russia Never Stops Efforts to Prevent Nuclear War
Commenting further about the geopolitical landscape, the threat of nuclear war in face of contemporary developments, and the arms race, Russia’s Foreign Minister stated that Russia has never halted efforts to avert a nuclear war.
“Russia has never stopped efforts to reach agreements that will guarantee the non-initiation of a nuclear war,” he emphasized.
According to Lavrov, Moscow was driven to build hypersonic weaponry because the US missile defense system will be focused against Russia.
“We were forced to develop hypersonic weapons, because we knew very well that the US missile defense system would be directed not at North Korea and Iran, but against Russia and subsequently China,” he said.
Russia, as per Lavrov, required weaponry adept at defeating this anti-missile defense.
“Otherwise, the country possessing missile defense and offensive weapons may be tempted to strike a first blow in the hope that a retaliatory strike will be suppressed by missile defense systems,” the minister explained.
Lavrov also stated that the US has halted the strategic stability discussion with Russia, in which hypersonic systems were to be considered, thus Moscow must now depend on itself.
According to the diplomat, NATO, the US-led military organization, and the countries that comprise it, have stopped to suit Washington amid the situation in Ukraine, as the alliance seeks to achieve an agreement on the matter.
“Currently, even NATO does not fit the Americans. They held last meetings not within the framework of NATO (a meeting dedicated to the support of Ukraine), but just convened delegations, because there is a consensus in NATO. But they [the Americans] need to quickly and single-handedly resolve all issues,” Lavrov explained.
Last Friday, Lavrov underlined that Moscow does not endanger anybody with nuclear weapons, and that Western countries are the ones that raise the issue.
On February 24, Russia launched a military intervention in Ukraine in response to the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk’s appeal for assistance in defending themselves against Ukrainian aggression. The United States, the European Union, and a number of other nations replied by imposing extensive sanctions on Russia and some of its major banks and corporations, while simultaneously increasing financial and military support for Ukraine.