Russia sees signs of crisis in NATO, EU — Lavrov

MOSCOW, April 3. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov highlighted a brewing crisis within the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union during a meeting with Nurlan Yermekbayev, Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). "We observe signs of a crisis in both the North Atlantic Alliance and the European Union," Lavrov stated. He remarked on Western countries' approach to non-Western organizations, referencing a line from the film A Cruel Romance, based on Alexander Ostrovsky's play Without a Dowry. "Our Western colleagues seem to believe that, because they are in crisis, they must impose this crisis on non-Western associations - echoing the words from the film: 'Don't let anyone have you!'" Lavrov said, implying that Western policies aim to exert influence over other regions in times of turmoil. He concluded with a veiled critique of Western diplomacy, stating, "Multilateral diplomacy and the multilateral construction of a new world," with a tone tinged with irony.