Russia accuses US of using coups, kidnappings to ‘defend its well-being’ at any cost

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of ⁠abandoning internationally recognised diplomatic ⁠conventions in pursuit of its ⁠own interests, particularly in dominating energy markets, in an interview broadcast on Friday.Lavrov, interviewed by Russian state television, said Washington, in its dealings with Latin America and the Middle East, was “taking us back to a world where ‌nothing existed” in international law.“The United States has officially declared that no one can dictate to it,” he said in the interview, the text of which was posted on the foreign ministry’s website.“It cares only about its own well-being and is ready to defend that well-being by any means – coups, kidnappings or assassinations of ⁠leaders of countries that possess natural resources the Americans need.“Venezuela, Iran, our American colleagues do ‌not hide that this is about oil. They have a doctrine of dominance in global energy markets.”Lavrov was alluding to the capture of ‌Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro in a January US military operation and the killing ⁠of Iranian supreme ⁠leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli air strikes at the end of February.08:25How Maduro’s abduction is set to change Latin AmericaHow Maduro’s abduction is set to change Latin AmericaThe US, Lavrov said, had “cut ‌off” Europe, urging European states to abandon the now-damaged Nord Stream pipeline carrying Russian gas to Germany and backing ‌European Union ‌calls to discourage Hungary and Slovakia from buying Russian gas.“This is not an ‌approach to international relations. It is an attempt to return to the colonial era,” Lavrov ⁠said, denouncing European policy as being driven by “arrogance and contempt for others”.Even in seeking a ⁠settlement of the four-year war in Ukraine, he said, the US was promoting the benefits of “huge economic opportunities”.“At the same time, everything I just described ‌is happening in parallel. We ‌are being pushed out of all global energy markets,” he said.Further Reading“If we are ready to carry out mutually beneficial projects on our territory and provide Americans with what interests them … then our interests must also be respected. So far, we do not see this.”