Russia Not Interfering in Internal Affairs of Other Countries - Lavrov

Russia is not interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, particularly the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday at a meeting with new US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

BONN (Sputnik) — US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are holding an official bilateral meeting in Bonn, Germany on Thursday, during which they will discuss possible areas for collaboration.

"You have to understand that we do not interfere in the internal affairs of other states," Lavrov said in response to a reporter's question.

Since 2014, relations between Russia and the European Union and the United States, deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Brussels, Washington and their allies introduced several rounds of sanctions against Russia on the pretext of its alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, which Moscow has repeatedly denied. In response to the restrictive measures, Russia has imposed a food embargo on some products originating in countries that have targeted it with sanctions.

Since then, NATO has been building up its military presence in Europe, particularly in eastern European countries bordering Russia, using Moscow's alleged interference in Ukraine as a pretext.