Thread by @MollyMcKew

Russian FM Lavrov is using his annual presser to broadcast from upside-down world, where the revisionist West is disrupting the world order

“Russia is not bound by the obligation to respect the right to choose alliances”

🙄

Finland & Sweden are being “seduced” to artificially enlarge NATO

I say again, 🙄

“Everyone else is violating the rules but the rules don’t apply to Moscow” is a pretty good summary of everything we’ve been hearing from Russia’s team these past weeks.

Lavrov openly poking divisions between US/NATO and EU frameworks for talking to Russia

Note to selves: we know how they play this and we need to get our ducks in a row

Lavrov reminds that there were videos of “Black US soldiers” (nice note 🙄) training Georgians on anti-tank weapons before Russia invaded Georgia

“[A repeat in Ukraine] will be a direct confrontation between the **Russian citizens of Ukraine** and NATO troops” …

… “The Russian citizens of Ukraine”? Is this a new moniker for “Russian-speakers” in Ukraine? Very odd usage.

Lavrov going heavy on the “orthodox world” stuff, seems to argue UNESCO or something should be defending “traditional ethics” (aka traditional Christian values) in the world. Oy guess who he’s talking to.