Lavrov at Valdai War, talks and deterrence

Sep 29

Ivan Prozorov reports Valdai discussions. Lavrov says the United States will have to engage Russia and China. Kayhan Barzegar advocates permanent security guarantees and sanctions removal for an Iran agreement; Marco Carnelos warns about Europe’s future and calls for electoral change. Lavrov criticizes the earlier Wadephul encounter, alleges Europe is waging war through arms supplies, and answers Steve Rosenberg’s questions about hybrid warfare and brute force. He invokes Venezuela, Nord Stream and killings of Iranian leaders and defends force against Ukrainian infrastructure. Asked about Poland’s proposed Patriot servicing and production center and a threshold for direct Russian action, he refers to Russia’s doctrine; the correspondent summarizes nuclear-deterrence criteria. Speakers’ positions, allegations and the programme’s doctrine account do not establish responsibility, a deployment or an announced attack.

Speaking at the Valdai Discussion Club on September 29, Sergei Lavrov criticizes the earlier UN encounter with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. He cites positions on NATO expansion, Ukrainian membership, Russia as an eternal enemy and expectations of war in three years, and says repeating such positions behind closed doors is futile and even harmful. Vremya’s package introduces the September 26 New York meeting before airing this later statement. The private purpose and words he attributes to Wadephul remain Lavrov’s account, not an independently verified transcript of the meeting. No new negotiating offer, follow-up meeting or agreed outcome is announced.