Lavrov accuses West of ‘blatant Russophobia’ as he is shunned at G-20 meeting

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov slammed the West on the sidelines of the recent Group of 20 gathering in Bali, Indonesia, accusing the U.S. and its allies of “blatant Russophobia.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken refused to attend the traditional photo call at the event, and Western diplomats also refused to join a dinner event Thursday evening owing to Lavrov’s attendance, Kyodo News reported.

Lavrov told reporters that the West “avoided following the G20 Mandate” by refusing to meet with him, according to Russian state-owned media outlet Sputnik.

He added that “there is only blatant Russophobia,” which he said the Western countries use to “substitute for the necessity to negotiate key problems in the global economy and finance.”

Reuters added that Lavrov was “openly aggressive” as he said the West “seeks to maintain its privileged position and dominance in international affairs”.

Russia’s top diplomat added that “if the West doesn’t want talks to take place but wishes for Ukraine to defeat Russia on the battlefield — because both views have been expressed — then perhaps, there is nothing to talk about with the West.”

Blinken had previously said he would not meet with Lavrov at the meeting of foreign ministers from G-20 nations.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Tuesday that the “time is not right” for a bilateral engagement between the two top diplomats because of Russia’s “unprovoked, brutal war” against Ukraine. 

In a statement Friday, Price added that Blinken and the foreign ministers from Germany, the United Kingdom and France discussed Russia’s “unprovoked and unjustifiable war of choice.”

He added that they reviewed ways to address the global food security concerns that have resulted from Russia’s “deliberate targeting” of Ukrainian agriculture.