Russia: West fears formation of truly multilateral system of international relations

Russia has strongly slammed the French president's recent remarks on Moscow's relations with Beijing, saying the West is afraid of the emergence of a truly multilateral system of international relations.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko made the remarks on Monday, saying France has become preoccupied with Russia's strengthened relations with China and their impact on the world order.

In a recent interview with the Paris daily l'Opinion, Emmanuel Macron claimed that Moscow was becoming subservient to China, adding, "(Russia) has de facto started a form of vasallization with China and has lost access to the Baltic [Sea] that was critical to it as it has precipitated the decision by Sweden and Finland to join NATO."

In response, the Russian deputy foreign minister wrote in a statement on the ministry’s website that “the West generally appears fearful of the formation of a truly multilateral system of international relations before our eyes; one that includes several separate independent centers [of power], particularly Russia and China."

"Within this evolving landscape of the world, it is inevitable that Macron, along with other leaders in the West, will have to reconcile themselves to the reality of strong, equitable and mutually respectful relations between Moscow and Beijing," Grushko added.

The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, also reacted to Macron’s allegations, saying Russia's relations with China were those of strategic partners and had nothing to do with dependence.

Macron’s remarks came in reference to talks in Moscow in March between the Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, during which the two sides said they were deepening their strategic partnership by ushering "a new era" of ties.

Putin meets China’s Xi in Moscow, says open to negotiations on Ukraine

Russia

The two leaders greeted each other as "dear friend" when they met for informal talks at the Kremlin, ahead of their formal talks a day later.

Xi also hailed his country's "close ties" with Russia, saying, "We are partners in comprehensive strategic cooperation. It is this status that determines that there should be close ties between our countries."

A few days after their meeting, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin described the development as a “very troubling message” to the United States.

Pentagon chief says Putin-Xi meeting sends ‘very troubling message’

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia sends a “troubling message.”

“Xi’s visit to Putin and remaining there for a couple of days I think sends a very troubling message, a message of support,” Austin told the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, adding, “Certainly just showing support [for Russia] by his presence there, I think, is very troubling."

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