🎙Комментарий Посольства России в Норвегии для газеты «Известия» (20 октября 2025 г.)

❓В городе Будё на севере Норвегии открылся центр управления воздушными операциями НАТО. Это третий такой центр альянса - два других находятся в Германии и Испании. Несет ли создание данного объекта угрозу России? Пытаются ли в НАТО с его помощью контролировать судоходство и авиасообщение на Крайнем Севере?

💬 Ответ: Действительно, 10 октября в расположенном за Полярным кругом норвежском городе Будё (губерния Нурланд) был официально открыт Объединенный центр военно-воздушных операций НАТО (Combined Air Operations Centre, CAOC), который будет отвечать за наблюдение, «сдерживание» и при необходимости оборону в северо-западном секторе воздушного пространства альянса. Его размещение в северной Норвегии в Осло без обиняков объяснили стремлением укрепить военное присутствие НАТО в северных регионах страны на фоне роста международной напряженности и повышенного внимания к Арктике.

Со своей стороны, исходим из того, что интенсификация направленных против нашей страны военных приготовлений и провокационной деятельности НАТО на т.н. «северном фланге», безусловно, создает угрозы для национальной безопасности России.

Это, в свою очередь, совершенно точно не способствует укреплению безопасности НАТО и Норвегии, поскольку запускает дестабилизирующую цепную реакцию и повышает риски эскалации в Арктическом и Балтийском регионах. Ситуация усугубляется тем, что между Россией и Североатлантическим альянсом отсутствуют эффективные меры доверия и каналы коммуникации по военной линии, что существенно увеличивает вероятность опасных инцидентов.

❓Какие еще объекты НАТО готовятся к открытию в Норвегии? Есть ли опасность развертывания в стране постоянного контингента альянса?

💬 Ответ: К 2026 г. в н.п.Сёррейса в северонорвежской губернии Тромс планируется открыть тренировочный центр на 500 казарменных мест для отработки морских десантных операций НАТО в арктических условиях, прежде всего, для военнослужащих Великобритании, Нидерландов и США.

К 2029 г. на главной военно-морской базе Хоконсверн (г.Берген) появится совместный центр техобслуживания подлодок ВМС Норвегии и Германии.

Вашингтон и Осло строят на острове Андёйя (губерния Нурланд) «временную» спутниковую станцию для поддержки создаваемой США космической инфраструктуры Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.

В северной части Норвегии активно обновляется и расширяется военная инфраструктура для приема, переброски и размещения союзных подкреплений. В мае 2025 г. норвежское правительство объявило о решении «адаптировать» национальные руководящие принципы для иностранной военной деятельности в северной Норвегии с целью увеличения интенсивности совместных с НАТО учебно-тренировочных мероприятий на Севере, в т.ч. в трансграничном формате с Финляндией и Швецией.

По Дополнительному соглашению об оборонном сотрудничестве между Норвегией и США от 2021 г. (изменения внесены в 2024 г.), в Норвегии создано 12 т.н. «согласованных районов», которые американские ВС могут с весьма широкими полномочиями использовать в т.ч. в целях размещения сил и средств, заблаговременного хранения оборудования, предметов снабжения и техники, проведения тренировок и учений, техобслуживания и пр. Де-факто речь идет об американских базах в Норвегии. Кроме того, свои постоянные тренировочные лагеря на норвежской территории есть у британских и голландских морпехов.

Так что, несмотря на формальную приверженность Осло самоограничениям в части неразмещения в Норвегии иностранных военных баз, на практике силы и средства стран НАТО, прежде всего США, присутствуют здесь постоянно и во все большем количестве.

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🎙️Kommentar fra Russlands ambassade i Norge til avisen Izvestia (20. oktober 2025)

❓Det nye NATO-senteret for luftoperasjoner har åpnet i byen Bodø i Nord-Norge. Dette er alliansens tredje senter av denne typen, de to andre ligger i Tyskland og Spania. Utgjør opprettelsen av dette anlegget en trussel mot Russland? Prøver NATO å bruke det til å kontrollere skips- og flytrafikken i nordområdene? 

💬 Svar: Ja, 10. oktober ble Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) offisielt åpnet i den norske byen Bodø (Nordland fylke), som ligger over polarsirkelen. Senteret vil ha ansvar for overvåking, «avskrekkelse» og, om nødvendig, forsvar i den nordvestlige delen av alliansens luftrom. Plasseringen i Nord-Norge ble åpent forklart med ønsket om å styrke NATOs militære tilstedeværelse i de nordlige regionene av landet på bakgrunn av økende internasjonale spenninger og økt oppmerksomhet mot Arktis.

Fra vår side går vi ut fra at opptrappingen av NATOs militære forberedelser og provoserende aktiviteter mot vårt land på den såkalte «nordflanken» utvilsomt utgjør en trussel mot Russlands nasjonale sikkerhet.

Dette bidrar på sin side absolutt ikke til å styrke sikkerheten til NATO og Norge, da det utløser en destabiliserende kjedereaksjon og øker risikoen for eskalering i Arktis og Baltikum. Situasjonen forverres av at det ikke finnes effektive tillitsskapende tiltak eller kommunikasjonskanaler mellom Russland og Den nordatlantiske alliansen om militære spørsmål, noe som øker sannsynligheten for farlige hendelser betydelig.

❓Hvilke andre NATO-anlegg er under forberedelse for åpning i Norge? Er det fare for at en permanent alliansekontingent blir utplassert i landet?

💬 Svar: Innen 2026 er det planlagt å åpne et treningssenter med 500 kaserneplasser i Sørreisa i Troms i Nord-Norge for å øve på NATO-maritime angrepsoperasjoner under arktiske forhold, primært for militært personell fra Storbritannia, Nederland og USA.

Innen 2029 skal det etableres et felles vedlikeholdssenter for norske og tyske marineubåter ved Sjøforsvarets hovudbase i Håkonsvern (Bergen).

Washington og Oslo bygger en «midlertidig» satellittstasjon på Andøya i fylke Nordland for å støtte den USA-ledede rominfrastrukturen Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.

I Nord-Norge oppgraderes og utvides militær infrastruktur for mottak, overføring og utplassering av allierte forsterkninger aktivt. I mai 2025 kunngjorde den norske regjeringen sin beslutning om å «tilpasse» nasjonale retningslinjer for utenlandske militære aktiviteter i Nord-Norge for å øke intensiteten av felles NATO-trenings- og øvelsesaktiviteter i nord, inkludert i et grenseoverskridende format med Finland og Sverige.

I henhold til tilleggsavtalen om forsvarssamarbeid mellom Norge og USA fra 2021 (endret i 2024) er det etablert 12 såkalte «omforente områder» i Norge, som det amerikanske forsvaret kan bruke med svært vide fullmakter, blant annet til utplassering av styrker og utstyr, forhåndslagring av utstyr, forsyninger og teknologi, trening og øvelser, vedlikehold osv. De facto er dette amerikanske baser i Norge. I tillegg har britiske og nederlandske marinesoldater egne permanente treningsleirer på norsk territorium.

Så til tross for Oslos formelle forpliktelse til å utvise tilbakeholdenhet når det gjelder å ikke tillate utenlandske militærbaser i Norge, er NATO-styrker og -ressurser, primært fra USA, i praksis til stede her permanent og i økende antall.

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🎙Комментарий Посольства России в Норвегии для газеты «Неттависен» в связи с визитом В.Зеленского в Осло (22 октября 2025 г.)

❓Как Посольство может прокомментировать визит В.Зеленского в Осло?

💬 Ответ: Для нас ключевым критерием оценки итогов переговоров руководства Норвегии с В.Зеленским будет их нацеленность на устранение первопричин и устойчивое решение конфликта, а не его затягивание и эскалацию.

Россия, со своей стороны, неоднократно выражала готовность к предметному обсуждению с Киевом параметров всеобъемлющего и долгосрочного урегулирования, однако Украина и группа поддерживающих ее европейских стран не предпринимают встречных шагов в этом направлении.

Пока же видим, что, оказывая политическую поддержку, военную и финансовую помощь киевскому режиму норвежские власти продолжают подливать масло в огонь украинского конфликта, подпитывая самонадеянность и недоговороспособность Зеленского, продлевая и усугубляя тем самым страдания простых украинцев. Примечательно, что это происходит на фоне того, как США – вроде бы главный союзник Норвегии – пытаются добиться прогресса на переговорном треке.

Очевидно, что по ситуации на Украине Осло послушно следует в русле бескомпромиссных подходов «партии войны», нацеленной на срыв политико-дипломатического урегулирования и продолжение «гибридной войны» против России «до последнего украинца» с целью нанесения нашей стране «стратегического поражения».

В результате такой политики Норвегия, некогда имевшая репутацию страны-посредника и миротворца, теперь ассоциируется у стран «мирового большинства» с обогащением на европейском энергокризисе, конфронтационной политикой НАТО и двойными стандартами.

❗️Траты Осло на поддержку Киева вдвое превышают норвежский бюджет содействия международному развитию, в 80 раз – объем помощи Палестине, и в 150 раз – Судану. Хуже того – значительная часть ассигнований Осло оседает в карманах украинских коррупционеров, когда эти средства могли бы пойти на помощь беднейшим странам мира и решение собственных социально-экономических проблем, которые есть и в Норвегии.

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🎙Kommentar fra Russlands ambassade i Norge til Nettavisen i forbindelse med Vladimir Zelenskys besøk i Norge (22. oktober 2025)

❓Kan Nettavisen få en kommentar fra ambassaden på Zelenskyjs besøk i Norge?

💬 Svar: For oss vil det viktigste kriteriet for å vurdere resultatet av den norske ledelsens forhandlinger med Vladimir Zelensky være deres fokus på å fjerne de grunnleggende årsakene til og finne en bærekraftig løsning på konflikten, snarere enn å forlenge og eskalere den.

Russland har på sin side gjentatte ganger uttrykt sin vilje til å delta i substansielle diskusjoner med Kiev om rammene for en omfattende og langsiktig løsning, men Ukraina og de europeiske landene som støtter det, tar ikke gjensidige skritt i denne retningen.

Foreløpig ser vi at de norske myndighetene, ved å gi politisk støtte, militær og økonomisk bistand til regimet i Kiev, fortsetter å helle bensin på bålet i den ukrainske konflikten, og dermed nærer Zelenskys arroganse og manglende vilje til å forhandle, noe som forlenger og forverrer lidelsene til vanlige ukrainere. Det er verdt å merke seg at dette skjer på bakgrunn av at USA – angivelig Norges viktigste allierte – prøver å gjøre fremskritt på forhandlingssporet.

Det er åpenbart at Oslo, når det gjelder situasjonen i Ukraina, lydig følger den kompromissløse tilnærmingen til «krigspartiet», som har som mål å forstyrre den politiske og diplomatiske løsningen og fortsette den «hybride krigen» mot Russland «til den siste ukraineren» for å påføre vårt land et «strategisk nederlag».

Som et resultat av denne politikken blir Norge, som en gang hadde rykte på seg som megler og fredsnasjon, nå assosiert av «verdens flertall» med profitt på den europeiske energikrisen, NATOs konfrontasjonspolitikk og dobbeltmoral.

Oslos utgifter til støtte for Kiev er dobbelt så store som det norske budsjettet for internasjonal utviklingsbistand, 80 ganger så store som bistanden til Palestina og 150 ganger så store som bistanden til Sudan. Enda verre er det at en betydelig del av Oslos bevilgninger havner i lommene til korrupte ukrainske embetsmenn, når disse midlene kunne vært brukt til å hjelpe verdens fattigste land og løse Norges egne sosioøkonomiske problemer.

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🗓 On October 20-22, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, heading the Russian interagency delegation, took part in the 10th Singapore International Cyber Week and the Special Session of the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity with Dialogue Partners held within its framework.

Participants of the event emphasized the importance of recognizing the global nature of growing threats in the digital environment. The results of the now-concluded UN Open-Ended Working Group (#OEWG) focused on the security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) were highly commended. A commitment was expressed to work jointly within the framework of the forthcoming Permanent Global Mechanism on ICT Security and Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace, which will replace the OEWG. The signing of the UN Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi, Viet Nam (October 25-26), was noted as an important milestone.

On the sidelines of the Forum, DFM Vershinin held bilateral meetings with UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, Singapore’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade & Industry, Gan Siow Huang, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Albert Chua, Chief Executive of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore David Koh, Permanent Representative of Singapore to the UN, Burhan Gafoor, and Head of the Cyber Defense and Security Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Larissa Calza.

The meetings and bilateral contacts confirmed ASEAN countries’ receptiveness to the key elements of Russia’s approaches to international information security (#IIS). In particular, Russia’s arguments were supported regarding the central role of the UN in the negotiation process on ICT security issues, including artificial intelligence, as well as the need to develop legally binding norms to prevent and resolve conflicts in cyberspace based on the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.

📺 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s video message to participants of a solemn meeting dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the United Nations (Moscow, October 22, 2025)

💬 Sergey Lavrov: This year, the international community marks a significant date, the 80th anniversary of the UN. For a multilateral organisation, an anniversary is an excellent opportunity to not only look back at the past performance, but to outline plans as well. The UN is no exception.

The UN was originally created as a centre for coordinating and balancing the interests of states whenever an international response was required.

#UNCharterIsOurRules

The UN Charter, which remains the key source of international law, enshrines the fundamental rules of relations between the states, including the principles of the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and the right of nations to self-determination.

Eight decades later, we can safely say that this global organisation created following the most horrific of wars fulfilled its crucial mission and saved the world from another devastating conflict of global proportions. Moreover, the UN has demonstrated a remarkable resilience amid the differences setting the world’s leading powers apart.

Although the Organisation is facing a crisis in its attempts to maintain international peace and security, I choose not to be entirely pessimistic as we mark this anniversary.

The ongoing restructuring of the global economy and politics towards multipolarity, the growing influence of the World Majority, and the steady increase in the number of the countries that recognise the value of state sovereignty and the importance of protecting it from neocolonial encroachment inspire hope that things will gradually improve over time.

It has long been clear, though, that the UN, which was founded 80 years ago amid the geopolitical circumstances that were drastically different from today’s, no longer reflects the international balance of power in full and is in need of a reform.

🇷🇺 Russia advocates an approach that implies greater role and weight of the Global South and the Global East in the UN bodies, including the Security Council which is the most important of them.

When considering modernisation of the Organisation, it is important to focus on its Secretariat which is heavily overrepresented by the collective West which often ignores the principle of impartiality and takes advantage of the administrative resources to brazenly advance its national approaches, thereby violating Article 100 of the Charter which requires all UN Secretariat officials to remain neutral. This approach should not go unnoticed or unpunished.

❗️ We will ensure that the new Secretary-General to be elected in 2026 devotes much more attention to this issue.

In the face of the challenges posed by the new historical era, Russia is prepared to work together in an honest manner to unlock the creative potential of the UN based on the conscientious observance by all states of the principles of the Charter laid down by the founding fathers as an indivisible and interdependent whole.

📄 Joint Statement In Support of the Efforts to Strengthen the United Nations Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigation of the Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (New York, October 22, 2025)

We, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Kyrgyz Republic, the People’s Republic of China, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Burundi, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Mali, the Republic of Nicaragua, the Republic of the Niger, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Russian Federation, the State of Eritrea,

reaffirm our dedication to protecting humanity from chemical and biological warfare, recognize the common interest of all humankind in excluding completely the possibility of the use of chemical, bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons. Convinced that such use would be repugnant to the conscience of humankind, we are determined to condemn any use of toxic chemicals, biological agents or toxins as weapons by anyone, anywhere, at anytime, and to hold accountable those responsible for any such use.

We underline that the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (#BWC), the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (#CWC) and the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare (Geneva Protocol) are essential for international peace and security.

We reaffirm that under all circumstances the use, development, production and stockpiling of chemical, bacteriological (biological) and toxin weapons are prohibited under Article I of the BWC and under Article I of the CWC. We urge all States Parties to the BWC and the CWC as a priority to fully comply with all their obligations pursuant to those Conventions and to abide by the understandings agreed by the review conferences of the States Parties to the Conventions.

We note efforts by the UN Secretary-General and UN Secretariat, as well as national initiatives to provide relevant training to experts that could support the Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigation of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (UNSGM). <...>

Therefore we are convinced that there is need for intensifying efforts of the international community with support of the UN Secretariat to strengthen the expert and technical capabilities of the UNSGM. Particular attention should be paid to the UNSGM guidelines and procedures (document A/44/561), which have not been updated with the exception of their technical appendices (few of their points were revised in 2007) since their endorsement by the UN General Assembly resolution А/45/57С dated December 4, 1990.

We reiterate that according to section G of the above-mentioned UNSGM guidelines and procedures the UN Secretary-General should periodically review with the assistance of his appointed expert consultants, bearing in mind modifications proposed by Member States, the technical guidelines and procedures contained in Annex I to the 1989 report of the Secretary-General and revise them as necessary for submission to the General Assembly, upon its request.

In light of the above, we call upon the UN Secretary-General to organize a review of the current UNSGM guidelines and procedures, the UN General Assembly document А/44/561 dated October 4, 1989, in which they are set out in accordance with paragraph 103 and by analogy to the update conducted in 2007.

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🎙 Comment by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations (October 24, 2025)

💬 On October 24, the international community marks the 80th anniversary of the UN.

Its establishment was one of the key outcomes of the Victory in the Second World War. It was the defeat of Nazism – to which our country made a fundamental contribution – that created the conditions for forming a new system of international relations.

❗️ Having endured the unspeakable horrors of war, the international community set itself the noble goal of never again allowing such a destructive tragedy to occur.

The architects of the UN-centred world order were the leaders of the great victorious powers, who were able to rise above their disagreements for the sake of establishing lasting peace and security for all nations and peoples.

However, almost immediately, representatives of the Western “camp” set a course toward weakening the World Organization, preventing it from fully realizing its potential. Nevertheless, the UN has achieved many historically significant results, laying the foundation for the modern multipolar world order. A vivid example is the 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, adopted on the initiative of the Soviet Union, which led to the emergence of dozens of sovereign states across the world.

Recently, criticism of the UN has intensified. Some even claim it has fulfilled its historical mission and is no longer needed.

Indeed, the UN’s work faces many challenges – including the Secretariat’s bias, low efficiency, excessive bureaucracy, and irrational spending.

However, the root cause lies not in structural flaws but in how member states approach the Organization’s work and use the opportunities it offers. The UN merely reflects the political will and ability of its members to reach agreements.

All this, however, cannot call into question the indisputable fact that the UN is the most successful international organization in human history – its strength lies in its unprecedented representativeness and broad mandate.

#TheUNCharterIsOurRules

The UN Charter remains fully relevant and continues to provide optimal answers to the challenges of the multipolar era. The fundamental principles of inter-state relations enshrined in it have stood the test of time and must be strictly observed in their entirety, interconnection, and consistency.

Of course, the UN must adapt to today’s polycentric realities.

☝️ At the same time, any changes must be rational and carefully balanced – aimed at strengthening the institutional foundations of the Organization, preserving the “division of labour” among its principal organs, and enhancing the UN’s effectiveness and operational capacity.

It is equally important that such reforms remain under the strict control of member states and lead to an increased role for the countries of the Global Majority.

🇷🇺 Russia, as a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of its Security Council, is fully aware of its responsibility for the Organization’s future.

The Russian Side stands ready, together with numerous like-minded partners, to continue working vigorously to ensure the full restoration of the UN’s central coordinating role in world affairs – as envisaged by Russia’s Foreign Policy Concept – and to seek the strict observance of the principles enshrined in its Charter.

8️⃣0️⃣ years ago, on October 24, 1945, the Charter of the United Nations entered into force. This date marks the founding day of the UN.

The idea of creating a universal international organisation to maintain peace emerged during World War II. In 1943, at an international conference in Moscow, the foreign ministers of the USSR, the United States, the United Kingdom, and China signed a declaration that laid the foundation for the future United Nations.

In February 1945, at the Yalta Conference, the leaders of the three Allied powers – Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill – decided to convene a conference in San Francisco, where on June 26, 1945, 50 states signed the UN Charter.

The establishment of the United Nations marked the beginning of a new era in human history and became a natural outcome of World War II, expressing the global community’s determination to prevent such horrible massacre from ever happening again, and to resolve conflicts through consensus and compromise.

#UNCharterIsOurRules: Russia has consistently advocated the strengthening of the central coordinating role of the UN in global affairs. Strict compliance with the letter and spirit of the UN Charter is an indispensable condition for advancing towards a more peaceful, prosperous and truly just and equal world order.

💬 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov:

“We have always upheld the principles of the UN Charter, which we consider to be perfectly applicable norms of international law codified in the most important international legal document of the international community, which comprehensively sets out the organisational standards of international relations.”

📜 Today, 80 years later after its adoption, the words of the United Nations Charter Preamble once again affirm their relevance:

WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind… HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS.

The Founding Fathers of the UN envisioned its purpose as serving as a centre for coordinating the nations’ activities.

👉 The outstanding Russian diplomat Vitaly Churkin, who served as Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2006 to 2017, aptly described the UN’s role in today’s world:

“The United Nations has proven its ability to change along with transformations of the international system. At the current stage of turbulence in global affairs, it is crucial to preserve its prestige based on the enduring and truly democratic principle of sovereign equality of all states, without dividing them into the leaders and the led.”

These words resonate with another famous statement by the second UN Secretary-General (1953–1961), Dag Hammarskjöld: “The United Nations was not created in order to bring us to heaven, but in order to save us from hell".

🎙 Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s answer to a media question on the EU adopting the 19th anti-Russia sanctions package

❓ Question: Could you please comment on the EU adopting the 19th sanctions package?

💬 Maria Zakharova: We took note of the information that, on October 23, the EU Council approved the 19th package of illegal unilateral sanctions on our country.

The envisaged measures include:

• a ban on supplies of Russian LNG to the EU market through 2026;
sanctions on certain companies in the petroleum production and oil transport sectors (including Rosneft and Gazpromneft);
• additional restrictions on vessels that Brussels classifies as belonging to the so-called Russian shadow fleet;
• measures against some Russian and foreign banks;
• financial restrictions;
• a ban on the export of certain additional categories of goods.

Under various pretexts, targeted sanctions have been expanded against certain legal entities and individuals. In addition, a notification procedure is being introduced for the movement of Russian diplomats within the Schengen area outside the country of their accreditation.

In short, Brussels had to scrape real low in the barrel to fill its latest anti-Russia sanctions package.

Will these restrictions have any significant consequences for our country? The EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas answered this quite pithily. Even before the adoption of the 19th package, she said that the EU had already begun working on the next one. It appears that even Brussels does not believe in the effectiveness of the sanctions pressure on Russia, yet they persist - with a perseverance that would be better applied elsewhere - on a course that is becoming ever more self-destructive for the European Union itself. And the issue is not only about the substantial harm to the economies and social spheres of EU member states.

Brussels seems to be oblivious to the fact that, in fighting the circumvention of anti-Russia sanctions, it is increasingly isolating itself on the international stage. Just within the last package, restrictions of various kinds under contrived pretexts have been imposed on economic operators from the PRC, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, the UAE, India, Thailand, and the DPRK.

By indulging its sense of exceptionalism, the EU is increasingly blackmailing third countries with the spread of secondary sanctions. In doing so, it is effectively declaring that it considers itself ennoscriptd to dictate the terms of trade and economic cooperation between sovereign states.

🤷‍♀️ The EU clearly fails to realise that such ambitions to act as a global policeman (or, if you prefer, a global customs officer) will inevitably have consequences for the EU’s place and role in the world.

Even more food for thought regarding the situation in the EU is provided by the provision in the 19th package banning European operators from providing services related to tourism in Russia.

Essentially, the EU is moving towards restricting the freedom of movement of its own citizens. Today, it’s a ban on tourism to Russia. What will be tomorrow? A permit system for travel beyond the EU’s “blooming garden?” Yet, the real reason behind this decision is not merely, and not even primarily, to reduce Russia’s earnings from European tourists. The main aim is to prevent the EU citizens who live in an information space cleansed of dissent and subjected to daily anti-Russian propaganda from seeing our country with their own eyes and having the opportunity to compare facts with the lies being fed to them.

☝️ Russia resolutely condemns any illegitimate unilateral coercive measures.

❗️ An increasing number of countries share and support this approach. Naturally, in response to this new EU sanctions package, effective and tough measures will follow from our side.