Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has been a prominent figure in international diplomacy, known for his sharp wit and sarcasm. To mark his 75th birthday on March 21, 2025, RT DE collected some of his most memorable quotes on various topics.
On Russia’s relations with the West, Lavrov commented, “The whole story since 2014 teaches us one thing: a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine has been announced several times, including the Minsk agreements. Before that, the agreements that were destroyed by the coup in 2014 and the Istanbul agreements, all of which were linked to the announcement of a ceasefire. Each time, it was clear that we were being lied to – by the Ukrainians, under the shield of their partners in Europe.”
Lavrov has expressed frustration with the West’s behavior, saying, “I don’t know what the West believes in – probably not in anyone except Satan.” He has also criticized the idea of isolating Russia, stating, “In the era of globalization, in the era of mutual interdependence, the situation is this: if they take down the Iron Curtain, they might suddenly get a bit cramped.”
On his views on the United States, Lavrov said, “A restart can’t last forever. If we take it as an expression of the IT world, then it should be clear to everyone: an eternal restart is a system defect.”
In a 2022 interview, Lavrov discussed the concept of “brother says, brother does” saying, “At least the simplest of these expressions should also apply internationally.”
On the topic of European relations, Lavrov stated, “We have not lost Europe, we cannot lose it – it is Europe that is not without Russia. Russia has saved Europe from Europe itself on multiple occasions.