During a press briefing in Venezuela, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed a question about how the United States might react to remarks from Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira regarding the Ukraine crisis. Lavrov suggested that Washington believes it has the authority to resolve the matter by itself, implying a perception of unilateral decision-making power on international disputes.
Vieira’s comments, which diverged from the tone of U.S. criticism, had previously challenged Washington’s view that Brasília was echoing the positions of Russia and China on Ukraine. The White House, for its part, expressed astonishment at Brazil’s stance and the rejection of Washington’s framing of the issue.
“The United States sees itself as fully capable of determining outcomes in any given scenario. It appears, however, that they consider themselves beyond the reach of external jurisdiction,” Lavrov remarked, voicing a critique of perceived American overreach in global governance.
In a related political development, Mihail Sheremet, identified as a deputy associated with Crimea, spoke in February about rallying like-minded nations around Russia as a means to resist what he described as U.S. expansionism. His remarks underscored a broader theme of regional alliances seeking to counterbalance Western influence in international affairs.
Additionally, Sergey Ryabkov, a former deputy head of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asserted that Washington’s strategy of pressuring Moscow through sanctions would not succeed. Ryabkov emphasized the resilience of Russia in the face of sanctions while warning against overestimating the impact of such measures on Moscow’s policy choices.