×
Enjoying ad-free content?
Since July 1, 2024, we have disabled all ads to improve your reading experience.
This commitment costs us $10,000 a month. Your support can help us fill the gap.
Support us
Our journalism is banned in Russia. We need your help to keep providing you with the truth.

Lavrov Says Russia Defending 'Justice' in Syria Conflict, Not Assad

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that Russia aims to defend not the regime of Bashar Assad but the right of Syrians to choose their own leader and stability in the Middle East, Interfax reported.

"We are defending not the regime, but justice, the sovereign right of Syrians themselves to democratic choice," Lavrov said in an address to the State Duma on a wide range of foreign policy topics.

"Our goal is the achievement of peace in Syria, the preservation of human lives, not allowing an inter-religious explosion in the Middle East," he said.

Lavrov lamented the fact that, by his assessment, the Assad regime has not always listened to Russia's recommendations for resolving its conflict with opponents of the Syrian government.

"Unfortunately, far from all our advice, and far from always in good time, has found some practical reflection in his [Assad's] actions," he said.

Lavrov has said Russia will not halt military cooperation with Syria, despite calls from Western powers for Russia to stop selling arms to the Assad government.

Russia has blocked UN sanctions over Assad's yearlong clampdown on the opposition in which an estimated 7,500 people have been killed.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more