Russia's Lavrov Accuses US of Using Coups and Kidnappings to Secure Energy Dominance

Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, accused the United States of disregarding international law while resorting to coups, kidnappings, and assassinations to safeguard its interests, especially in the global energy sector. In an interview aired on Friday and available on the foreign ministry's website, Lavrov remarked that Washington believes it is immune to external dictates. He pointed to the January US military operation that aimed to capture Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro and the joint US-Israeli air strikes that killed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in late February as instances of this behavior. According to Lavrov, the US prioritizes its own interests and is willing to go to great lengths to protect them, particularly regarding resource-rich nations like Venezuela and Iran, where oil plays a crucial role.