Russia at UN accuses US of ‘playing with fire’ over Taiwan, attacks its Indo-Pacific strategy

Western nations are ‘self-proclaimed masters of the world’, everywhere introducing division and confrontation, says Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

US now falsely portraying security of Europe and Asia as ‘indivisible’ and creating ‘closed formats’ of engagement, adds Moscow’s top envoy

Reading Time:2 minutes

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivers a speech during the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday. Photo: ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Published: 6:05am, 25 Sep 2022

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov invoked Taiwan while accusing the United States of trying to “subjugate” and divide Asia in the name of its Indo-Pacific strategy.

In a blistering 24-minute address delivered at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Saturday, Lavrov derided the West as the “self-proclaimed masters of the world” and accused the US of “playing with fire around Taiwan” by offering the self-ruled island military support.

Lavrov depicted the US as trying to create a unipolar model in the world under the guise of a rules-based order.

“The West is introducing dividing lines everywhere along the lines of confrontation with blocs,” he said. “You are either with us or against us. There is no third option. There are no compromises.”

The Russian foreign minister’s forceful words came just days after US President Joe Biden asserted in an interview aired last week that American troops would defend Taiwan if Beijing were to attack it.

US-China relations have deteriorated since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August to show support for the island. In response to her visit, Beijing launched unprecedented live-fire military drills around the island.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x