Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Criticizes Western Influence in Central Asia–EU Relations
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the European Union of pushing an anti-Russian agenda during a press conference following his visit to Samarkand. Lavrov firmly stated Russia’s opposition to Western attempts to establish dominance in the Central Asian region during a press conference held in Uzbekistan.
When asked about the formats of Central Asia-Russia and Central Asia-European Union cooperation, Lavrov emphasized the importance of mutually beneficial agreements that align with the interests of all parties involved. He warned against the politicization of cooperative processes and the introduction of ideological elements that could lead to dominance by certain countries in geopolitical spaces.
Lavrov specifically called out EU member states and the European Commission in Brussels for trying to advance their agenda in the region with a clear anti-Russian bias. He expressed concern over the allocation of funds to programs that could interfere with the governmental structures of Central Asian states, including sensitive areas like borders, statistics, and customs operations.
The Russian Foreign Minister labeled these actions as unacceptable and urged for the cooperative processes between Central Asia and external partners to be free from interference in internal affairs. Lavrov emphasized the importance of mutual respect and cooperation based on mutual benefit rather than attempts at dominance.
