Current Situation Should Not Be Labeled as a Second Cold War, Lavrov Says

The current situation on the international stage should not be labeled as a second Cold War, stated Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his speech at the "Primakov Readings" conference.

"The fundamental difference is the collective West's desire to destroy the international collective security system and to use Ukraine for an overt confrontation with Russia," Lavrov remarked.

He also noted that now is not the time for Russia to think about how to restore relations with Europe; rather, the focus should be on how to stop the economy's dependence on its whims.

"Moscow will not close the door to sober-minded players in historical Western countries. Russia has no aggressive plans in Europe," Lavrov emphasized.