Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answers to questions following the Government Hour in the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Moscow, December 13, 2023

Question: Russian officials have already cited cases of US attempts to interfere in our presidential elections and predicted that they will become more intense as we approach March 2024. Does Moscow send signals to Washington via diplomatic and other channels that these activities are unacceptable?

Sergey Lavrov: We talk about this publicly. Special services are monitoring attempts to interfere illegally in our domestic processes. We have nothing to hide. When we reveal such attempts, we present them to the whole world.

There is no need for any diplomatic demarches.

The Americans know that we are aware of this and know that this is unacceptable. But you see, they believe they have the right to interfere in the domestic affairs of any state, whereas others are prohibited from doing this. A hegemon – albeit one that is becoming weaker and turning into a large but by no means omnipotent power. This process is unstoppable.

Question: The UN General Assembly has adopted a humanitarian resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. How far off is a real end to the conflict? Can Russia do something in this respect?

Sergey Lavrov: We are doing all we can. We are resolving the immediate tasks of freeing people who were taken hostage or want to leave Gaza, being Russian citizens. This is our priority today.

In parallel, we consider it important to resolve humanitarian problems in a broader, more sustained way. I am referring to the provision of medical and other services, and delivery of humanitarian relief to those who remain in the Gaza Strip and cannot leave it for different reasons.

The third goal is a ceasefire. It is required not only for addressing humanitarian issues but on a permanent basis to deal with a problem that still has not been resolved after 75 years – this is the creation of a Palestinian state.

Some reports are trickling out about US concern in this regard. Once again, the Americans themselves quietly, secretly, without any transparency, want to craft some plan. There have been leaks of the options they are considering, for instance, the creation of some protectorate under the control of Arab states (that have no interest in this) or a UN mission with peacekeepers. As I see it, the world organisation is similarly not eager to get involved in a situation where nothing is clear and Israel is adamantly declaring its resolve to complete the operation against Hamas, referring to the full destruction of this organisation.

Analysts in the West, the Arab world and Israel proper have major apprehensions about the feasibility of this goal as well. But the essence remains the same – it is necessary to create a single, independent state in the 1967 borders with the capital in East Jerusalem, a state that will live side by side with Israel as a good neighbour in peace and security. This remains a distant goal.

The thinkers in Washington want to plan out a viable and sustainable Palestinian state in secret, working either alone or with their closest allies. This is impossible. If they come up with something, their solution will be short-lived and will not bring peace and prosperity to either the Palestinians or the Israelis.

The perpetuation of the injustice against the Palestinian people that were solemnly promised a state in 1948 is fertile ground for breeding serious terrorist and extremist sentiment. At any rate, it is allowing the terrorists to use the frustration of Palestinians and other Arab peoples to recruit even more supporters of waging armed resistance and creating terrorist groups.

The only way to achieve a fair and permanent solution to this problem is to hold an international conference with the participation of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the Arab League, the OIC and the Gulf Cooperation Council, in view of the fact that Saudi Arabia is the author of the Arab Peace Initiative under which all Arab countries would normalise relations with Israel after a viable, functional Palestinian state was created. No doubt, the UN must play a leading role in convening such an event. I hope UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will take the initiative.