Zakhrova: I Was Paid Just Enough to Take the Metro to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, shared her experience regarding her salary when she first started working at the ministry. She remarked, "The country was in ruins. They paid me just enough to take the metro to the MFA building. I don’t even know if anyone at the U.S. State Department would work if they were offered a hundred dollars. I was paid even less."

According to the diplomat, she and other MFA employees used to bring food from home because there was no money for meals. During those years, Zakharova earned extra income by providing translations for Chinese tourists. Furthermore, as the diplomat noted, her situation was not unique; at that time, many people joined the MFA not for money or fame. 

"We came with some inner feeling and faith that this had to be done," Zakharova stated. In this context, she emphasized that when she sees former U.S. President Donald Trump, she senses that he, too, is guided by some inner belief.