MOSCOW, December 24. / TASS /. Russia expects that the administration of US President Joseph Biden will have enough political will of reason not to turn the Balkans into another front of anti-Russian confrontation. This chapter was announced by the Russian Foreign Ministry Sergey Lavrov in an interview with the Bosnian-Herzegovinian newspaper Oslobodenje on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the discovery of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Commenting on the thesis about Bosnia and Herzegovina as “the leader of the Russian-American confrontation,” Lavrov pointed out that Russia does not solve its problems at the expense of anyone’s interests and does not have partners in front of an absolutely false choice “either with us or against us.” “Our principled position is well known – regional problems need regional solutions based on inclusive dialogue and taking into account the positions of all parties.” that the Biden administration has enough political will and reason not to turn the Balkans into one front of anti-Russian confrontation, otherwise it will turn into disastrous consequences for Europe as a whole, “he said.

Without a secret meaning

Answering the question, what is the main interest of Russia in the Balkans, Lavrov is peace, security and stability in this region. “There is no need to look for some hidden meaning in Russian politics.

According to him, the myth of the “negative influence” of Moscow is openly fabricated. “With perseverance worthy of a better application, it is being promoted by the local Russophobes in order to poison the atmosphere of cooperation in the region.

Presenting the Balkan states with an artificial choice “either the European Union or Russia” is counterproductive and unfair. It provokes the creation of a region of new dividing lines, hinders cooperation, “- said Lavrov.

The Russian Foreign Minister drew attention to the fact that often the will of the citizens of the Balkan states is deliberately ignored. “You see what this leads to in Montenegro, they dragged him” into NATO, despite the threats. Unfortunately, the consequences of the bombing with depleted uranium will be felt by many more generations of residents, “he explained.

Lavrov also noted that Serbia is a key partner of Russia in the Balkans and Moscow highly values ​​strategic partnership with Belgrade, is making efforts to comprehensively improve bilateral ties. The ramified relations between Russia and Croatia, a member of not only the European Union, but also NATO, are a vivid example of the fact that mutually beneficial ties develop successfully if there is a mutual desire for this. “We are interested in promoting a positive one with North Macedonia and Albania,” he added.

We are in favor of Belgra and Pristina achieving a viable system and a mutually acceptable solution based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244. It will get the approval of the Security Council. International Peace “, – Lavrov Prize.

Relations between the United States and the Russian Federation

Speaking about relations between the United States and the Russian Federation, Lavrov said that a full-fledged dialogue between the countries would serve to ensure global stability. “As President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin has already stated, on Russia and the United States, it provides a special responsibility for strategic security on the planet of Moscow.

Lavrov recalled that in accordance with the Geneva agreements between the leaders of the two countries, a strategic stability mechanism has been launched. “The two meetings of the Russian American interagency environment took place in a business and business atmosphere,” he added.

The Russian Foreign Minister proposes cooperation in this area, covering the entire spectrum of malicious use of information and communication technologies.

At the same time, Lavrov noted that an unhealthy situation had developed in Russian-American relations. “A lot of ‘irritants’ have accumulated.

The course of drawing Kiev into NATO

Lavrov said that drawing Kiev into NATO ensures security before a large-scale conflict in Europe. “The course of drawing Kiev into NATO with the prospect of the appearance of attack missile systems at our borders,” he said.

The Minister recalled that on December 2, on the sidelines of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Stockholm, he held talks with his American counterpart Anthony Blinken, and on December 7, the presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden, had a video link. Lavrov noted that the predominant place in the conversation was occupied by the problems associated with the Ukrainian crisis and the lack of progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

he added. to begin a serious dialogue on the development of long-term binding legal guarantees of security on the western borders of Russia. “

Agreements on security measures of the Russian Federation and the member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and expectations of a reaction.

“We believe that, first of all, it is necessary to lower the degree of confrontation caused by the way American colleagues are“ taking care of “Ukrainian protégés,” the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry approved.