Russia Needs to Eliminate Dependence on Western Goods, Foreign Minister Lavrov Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's critical infrastructure needs to eliminate dependence on goods supplied by Western countries, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.

“Now we are creating not just some process of import substitution. We must stop, in all ways, being dependent on the supply of anything from the West to ensure the development of critical industries for the security, economy and social sphere of our Motherland,” Lavrov said during an event organized by Evgeny Primakov Gymnasium.

The Russian foreign minister added that Russia will think twice if the West proposes anything related to the resumption of relations.

According to Lavrov, it depends on whether the West "overcome their 'frenzy' and decide that there is Russia, it has not gone away and [...] it is getting stronger every year." He added that Russia will "rely only on ourselves and on those countries that have proven their reliability and that do not dance to someone else's tune."

"If Western countries come to their senses and offer some form of cooperation, then we will decide," he stressed.

Eurasia Offers Way Forward

Russia in its further development should rely on partners in the Eurasian region, Lavrov asserted, expressing confidence that this is the right path. According to him, the center of global development now lies within Eurasia, and Russia has "the most extensive network of partnerships" in the region.

"We must rely on them in the further development of our country, its transport, transit, and logistics capabilities. I am convinced that this is the right way,” said the foreign minister. He also suggested that it was wrong to hope for the return of the international corporations, such as McDonald's, back to the Russian market, as it would mean "again sitting and doing nothing, waiting for spare parts to arrive and supply us with some components, semiconductors."

"No, our Western partners have proved, and not for the first time, that they are incapable of sustaining contracts," he claimed.

The foreign minister stated that Russia is "significantly" increasing the share of trade that is serviced in the national currencies of partner countries, as in the case of the Russia-China, Russia-India, and Russia-Iran partnerships, as well as within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union.

"Sure, this is a challenge," Lavrov underscored. "We need to be much more active in the development of this country. But this is both a huge plus and an opportunity."

While West Plays Dictator, Russia-China Ties Will Extend Faster

Now that the West is taking the position of dictator, Russia's economic ties with China will develop even faster, Lavrov said, emphasizing that "an economic mutual benefit is quite clear."

Moreover, in addition to direct income to the state budget, this economic partnership supposedly gives the Russian authorities the opportunity to implement plans to increase the pace of development of Russia's Far East and Eastern Siberia, according to the foreign minister.

Apart from that, Lavrov said that he was amazed at the speed with which, after the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the West took a Russophobic stance.

"I was amazed at the speed with which, after the start of the special military operation, the West acquired a Russophobic position, encouraging Russophobia at the everyday life level," he said. "This means that what they thought about Russia has not gone away anywhere since the 16th-17th-18th centuries."

Western countries have introduced several packages of sanctions against the Russian Federation due to the situation in Ukraine. The EU countries, among other things, are considering the possibility of abandoning supplies of Russian oil and gas. The sixth package of EU sanctions provides for the introduction of an oil embargo, but a number of countries, in particular Hungary, are blocking its adoption.