US abandoning international norms for self-interest: Lavrov

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the United States of disregarding established international diplomatic conventions in pursuit of dominance in global energy markets.

Speaking on Russian state television, Lavrov cited alleged U.S. involvement in leadership changes in Venezuela and Iran, and pressure on Europe to cut Russian energy imports. He framed Washington’s actions as a return to a ‘colonial era’ and linked them to broader geopolitical tensions, including the war in Ukraine.

In a televised interview, Sergei Lavrov charged that the United States has abandoned internationally recognized diplomatic conventions to pursue unilateral gains, particularly in energy markets.

He accused Washington of resorting to extreme measures such as coups, kidnappings, and assassinations to secure resources, pointing to incidents in Venezuela and Iran as examples. Lavrov framed these actions as a regression to a pre-international law era, undermining the principles of sovereign equality.