00:16Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has unleashed a blistering attack on Britain,
00:22accusing London of playing what he calls the most negative role in world affairs for centuries.
00:28Speaking in a lengthy interview with Russian broadcaster RBC on August 28th,
00:35Lavrov was asked about Britain's growing involvement in the Ukraine conflict
00:39and whether London was now outmaneuvering Washington. His response was anything but
00:45diplomatic. Lavrov declared that Britain's role has been the most negative for centuries,
00:52particularly when it comes to Russia. But he didn't stop there. He argued that
00:58Britain has never really had permanent allies, describing other countries as little more than
01:03fellow travelers of British foreign policy. And he specifically included the United States.
01:10According to Lavrov, even Washington is no exception to Britain's supposed pattern of shifting alliances
01:17and interests. Then he took aim at the historic relationship between Britain and America,
01:24claiming that the British have traditionally looked down on Americans. Lavrov referred to the Americans
01:31as the Anglo-Saxons, who created a state for themselves across the Atlantic.
01:36The Russian Foreign Minister also reached deep into history to support his argument. He claimed British
01:44efforts against Russia can be traced back as far as the reign of Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century.
01:51He pointed to the Crimean War in the 19th century as another example of Britain confronting Russia.
01:59And Lavrov revived one of the most dramatic episodes involving Britain and the Russian imperial family,
02:06the fate of Tsar Nicholas II in 1917. Nicholas II was related to the British royal family,
02:15but Britain ultimately refused to provide him asylum as Russia descended into revolution.
02:22For Lavrov, these episodes form part of what he described as a centuries-long pattern.
02:28His broader argument is that Britain has repeatedly positioned itself against Russia,
02:33while pursuing its own strategic interests. He also suggested that London's alliances have
02:40historically been temporary, formed when useful, and abandoned when circumstances change.
02:46Of course, Lavrov's account reflects the Russian government's long-standing view of Britain
02:51and the wider West, and his historical interpretation is highly political. But his comments come at a
02:59particularly sensitive moment. Britain remains one of Ukraine's most vocal supporters, while London
03:06continues to deepen military and political cooperation with Kyiv. And Lavrov's remarks signal that Moscow
03:13continues to see Britain as a particularly hostile player in the Ukraine conflict.
03:19The striking part of his message was not simply that he criticized Britain. It was the breadth of the
03:26accusation. From Ivan the Terrible, to the Crimean War, to Nicholas II, and now Ukraine.
03:35Lavrov presented Britain's foreign policy as one continuous historical pattern.
03:40And by saying Britain has never had permanent allies, not even the United States, he delivered an unusually
03:49sharp warning about how Moscow views Britain's influence. For Lavrov, Britain isn't simply another
03:56Western opponent. He portrayed it as one of Russia's oldest and most persistent adversaries.
04:19We'll see you then.
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