Lavrov Says Russia Will Not Seek Europe’s Approval for Sanctions Relief

Moscow, The Gulf Observer: Russia will not seek Europe’s approval or plead for the lifting of sanctions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a lecture organized by the Znanie (Knowledge) Society on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

Lavrov said Russia had never sought to build barriers or isolate itself from Europe, arguing that it was the European Union that had chosen to distance itself from Moscow.

He rejected the notion that Russia would seek to restore previous relations with Europe by asking for sanctions to be removed.

“Russia will not run after Europe and ask it to lift sanctions,” Lavrov said, stressing that Moscow would not return to its previous approach to relations with European countries simply to regain access to cooperation that existed before the current confrontation.

The Russian foreign minister emphasized that Moscow had its own national interests and would not depend on external goodwill.

“We have, if you will, our own national pride in the best sense of the word. We have absolutely no need for anyone’s goodwill,” he said.

Lavrov’s remarks come amid continued tensions between Russia and the European Union, with the bloc maintaining extensive sanctions against Moscow. European officials have also indicated that additional restrictive measures targeting Russian individuals and entities remain under consideration.

The comments were made as Russia hosts the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, where Moscow is highlighting economic cooperation with countries in the Asia-Pacific region and broader engagement beyond Europe.