Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with the Türkish newspaper Hürriyet, November 1, 2024

Question: Türkiye has expressed its intention to join BRICS. What is your take on how this process will go and what its result will be? How might Türkiye’s full membership affect the group? And what is Moscow’s perspective on Türkiye’s accession?

Sergey Lavrov: We welcome Türkiye’s interest in strengthening ties with BRICS. This reflects the appeal of the group that is based on respect for the UN Charter, openness, pragmatism, and non-directedness against third parties.

We support the expansion of BRICS relations with countries of the Global Majority, particularly those committed to upholding multilateral approaches, pursuing a sovereign foreign policy, and refraining from participating in unilateral sanctions.

During the summit in Kazan, a decision was made to strengthen the current composition of BRICS by including partner countries in the group. I am confident that Türkiye can make a meaningful contribution to the ongoing development of BRICS. The parameters for Türkiye’s participation in the group will be determined by consensus, respecting the sovereign choices of all BRICS countries and Türkiye itself.

Question: A year has passed since the Israeli attacks on Gaza began, and tensions in the region have escalated significantly due to Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Who will intervene to stop the aggression by the Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu? Will Russia take the lead in efforts to stop Israel? In this context, what stance will Russia adopt in case of a potential military intervention by the US and Israel in Iran?

Sergey Lavrov: The failure to settle the long-standing Arab-Israeli conflict has sparked a new wave of violence, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians in Gaza. The number of casualties in Lebanon reaches thousands. More and more countries are becoming embroiled in this escalating confrontation.

Russia has condemned Israel for killing political leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as high-ranking Iranian military officials. We asked the UN Security Council to give its assessment of these deeds, but this initiative was blocked by opposition from Western members of the Council.

We urge all parties to refrain from actions that could further escalate violence and lead to a situation beyond control. There will be no winners in this conflict.

The way to normalise the situation lies in halting the bloodshed and creating conditions for a political resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on universal international legal principles. This includes the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders. Only this solution can guarantee lasting peace in the Middle East.

Question: Türkiye at the top level has reaffirmed its intention to help resolve the Ukrainian crisis and indicated its readiness to make every effort to revive the Dolmabahce process. In this context, what are your thoughts on Türkiye’s role as a mediator and host for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in the near future? How do you evaluate the country’s initiatives to resolve the crisis?

Sergey Lavrov: We appreciate Türkiye’s efforts to help resolve the Ukrainian crisis. The Türkish government played a crucial role by offering the Istanbul platform for consultations with representatives from Kiev in the spring of 2022 and facilitating the grain deal. However, the Istanbul negotiations were ultimately undermined by the Anglo-Saxons, who prevented Vladimir Zelensky from reaching agreements that could have stopped hostilities and ensured the balance of interests of all parties involved.

Russia is open to achieving a political settlement, but this should not merely lead to a temporary ceasefire; it must lead to a resolution of the conflict by eliminating its root causes. These include NATO’s eastward expansion, the creation of threats to Russia’s essential security interests, and the Kiev regime’s infringement on the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine.

At the moment, our opponents do not appear to want peace. Ukraine’s reaction to President Vladimir Putin’s peace initiative proposed in June was an invasion of the Kursk Region by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, along with airstrikes on targets in other border areas. Washington and its allies continue to provide extensive support to Kiev, discuss the possibility of using Western long-range missiles for strikes deep into Russian territory. Vladimir Zelensky has not revoked his order prohibiting negotiations with Moscow. Given these circumstances, it seems unlikely that any country, including Türkiye, will succeed in mediation efforts.

Regrettably, Ankara continues its military-technical cooperation with the Kiev regime. Türkish weapons are being used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to kill Russian soldiers and civilians, which is perplexing in light of the Türkish leadership’s statements of readiness to offer mediation services.

Question: Türkiye also remains in close contact with Moscow on the normalisation of relations with Syria. Although Ankara has repeatedly expressed its point of view regarding the meeting with Assad, Damascus puts forward preconditions for negotiations, such as the “withdrawal of Turkish troops from the region.” How do you assess this attitude of Damascus and the possibility of normalisation?

Sergey Lavrov: The normalisation of Syrian-Turkish relations is of great importance for sustainable stabilisation in Syria and strengthening security in the entire Middle East. 

Russia is taking consistent efforts to help bridge the gap between Damascus and Ankara. My colleagues from Türkiye and Iran and I discussed this issue during the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Astana process guarantor countries on September 27 in New York.

Last year, several meetings were held in Moscow between the foreign ministries, defence ministries, and special services as part of the Russia-Iran-Syria- Türkiye quadripartite format. Topics of particular interest have been identified, including the return of Syrian refugees, the fight against terrorism, and border security.

The differences in the positions of Damascus and Ankara have led to a pause in the negotiation process. The Syrian government believes that first it is necessary to settle the issue of withdrawing the Turkish military contingent from Syria. Overall, Türkiye confirms its commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, but suggests returning to the issue of the withdrawal of its troops later. 

We will actively promote re-launching the negotiation process as soon as possible, because both capitals signal that they are quite interested in resuming the dialogue.

Question: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that serious steps can be taken with Russia on the Sinop NPP. Is there any progress on this issue? Will this step be taken in Sinop after the Akkuyu NPP?

How does the West’s embargo against Russia affect the country’s economy? At what stage is trade with Türkiye today? What would you say about the course of economic relations between Türkiye and Russia?  

Sergey Lavrov: The Turkish authorities have to decide on what foundation and with whose assistance the Sinop NPP construction project will be implemented. If we manage to agree on the parameters of Russia’s participation, then we believe that both parties will benefit from this. We have a successful example of cooperation: the construction of the Akkuyu NPP.

Russia has adapted to the sanctions pressure and is developing successfully. In terms of GDP at purchasing power parity, we have become the fourth in the world and the first in Europe. The growth of the Russian economy this year should be about 3.9 percent. We have the lowest unemployment rate among the largest economies in the world: 2.4 percent.

The United States is trying to restrict the opportunities of our foreign partners interested in trade with Russia. Unfortunately, Türkiye is no exception. The prospects for our practical cooperation depend on whether experts will be able to find mutually acceptable solutions in the near future.

Question: Presidential election will be held in the United States in November. During the election campaign, Russia often becomes the centre of attention. Which presidential candidate would Moscow prefer to see in the White House? Donald Trump or Kamala Harris?

Sergey Lavrov: We have no preferences. In the past, the Trump administration was the one that introduced the greatest number of anti-Russia sanctions compared with its predecessors. Under the current president, who has spun the spring of Russophobia in the United States to the limit, our countries are balancing on the brink of a direct military clash.

Whoever wins the election, we can see no possibility of the United States changing its Russophobic course. For our part, we will be ready for dialogue if and when the Americans demonstrate serious intentions to negotiate honestly, based on respect for each other’s interests and the principle of reciprocity.