Putin Has Lavrov Present the New ‘Foreign Policy Concept’ to Russia’s Security Council

April 1, 2023, 2022 (EIRNS)—To further underscore its significance for Russia and the world, President Vladimir Putin called a meeting yesterday of the government’s Permanent Members of the Security Council to have a discussion of the just-released “Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation.” As reported on the Kremlin site, Putin began the meeting by noting that “radical changes in international affairs have forced us to seriously revise our main documents on strategic planning, including the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation, which sets out the principles, tasks and priorities of our diplomacy.”

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov then summarized the content of the 40-page document, noting that it “shows a high degree of continuity with the previous version of 2016 in terms of the fundamental principles underlying our foreign policy.” But the update was needed because

“the unprecedented level of international tension over the past decade is a fact of life. The existential nature of threats to our country’s security and development that are being created by unfriendly states has been recognized. The document designates the United States as the main originator and vehicle of the anti-Russian policy. Overall, the policy of the West that is aimed at the all-out degrading of Russia is described as a new type of hybrid war.”

Lavrov explained that

“In the face of acute external threats, our readiness to observe the principle of indivisible security is reaffirmed, but only in relation to those countries and their associations that show reciprocity in this matter.... The Concept provides for the possibility of taking symmetrical and asymmetrical measures in response to unfriendly actions against Russia.... Thus, we unequivocally declare that we will defend the right of the Russian people to existence and free development....

“The idea that we are not isolating ourselves from the Anglo-Saxon countries and continental Europe and do not have hostile intentions towards them has been clearly conveyed. However, they must realize that pragmatic interaction with Russia is possible only if they realize the futility of a confrontational policy and refuse to pursue this kind of policy in their practical actions. It will be up to us to decide to what extent the West is ready to follow these recommendations.”