One of Russia’s most influential diplomats, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, has given an interview to the US media outlet NBC, which could indicate a desire to explain Russia’s position to a wider audience of Americans, writes Politico.
In the interview, which was conducted in English and aired on NBC’s Meet the Press program on the 24th of August, Lavrov denied that Russia had made a mistake by shelling civilian targets, including hospitals, schools and an American-founded factory that produces household electrical appliances.
In the remote interview, Lavrov denied that Russia’s actions in Ukraine could be treated as an invasion and accused Ukraine of mistreatment of Russian-speaking residents in border areas. Thus, the Russian diplomat sought to turn the US against Ukraine and its European allies, indicating that Europe wants to drag out the conflict. Lavrov said Russia wants peace, and US President Donald Trump wants peace, but
European leaders’ reactions to the meeting in Anchorage suggest they don’t want peace.
Before the full interview was released, NBC aired clips on the 22nd of August in which Lavrov questioned whether Volodymyr Zelensky was the legitimate president of Ukraine and blamed Kyiv for stalling the peace process. It also showed a clip in which a Russian diplomat dismissed the possibility of Russian leader Vladimir Putin meeting with Zelensky, saying there were too many uncertainties.
Interviews by top Russian officials on major US television channels are rare, let alone the Sunday morning interview on Meet the Press. It suggests that Moscow wants to explain its position to a wider audience. Lavrov’s choice as an interviewee is also noteworthy. He is known as a master of sly gestures, often interpreted as psychological power plays. Lavrov also arrived in Anchorage before Putin, wearing a sweater printed with the initials of the USSR in Russian.
So far, Russia’s harsh words have not deterred the US presidential administration from its efforts to broker a peace deal. Trump regularly shifts positions, swaying in favor of Zelensky and Putin.
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