Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized the necessity of an independent Palestinian state to resolve the Palestinian issue.
According to a statement released Thursday by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov made remarks on Gaza at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Noting that the crisis in Gaza can only be resolved with the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Lavrov said "the unresolved Palestinian issue has increased violence not only in Gaza but also in Lebanon, Syria and Yemen."
He said the West is attempting to maintain its dominance over the world, which is contrary to the reality of multipolarity and destabilizes the geopolitical situation.
"Despite the resolutions of the United Nations, colonialism has not been abolished to date. There are still 17 regions in the world that are not self-governed. Colonial practices are strengthening in the political, economic, social and cultural spheres."
He highlighted that the points of tension are increasing in the world.
"In the last 1.5 years, 47,000 Palestinian civilians have lost their lives as a result of Arab-Israeli conflicts. This is the highest number since World War II. A final solution to the conflict is only possible through a two-state formula and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that can exist in peace and security with Israel."
Referring to the situation in the Asia-Pacific region, Lavrov said that NATO continues its activities there and tries to hinder the development of the countries of the region.
He said that NATO's expansion in Europe led to the Ukrainian crisis, adding "the uncontrolled provision of material support and weapons to the Kyiv regime prevents the crisis from ending, but the realization that the crisis in Ukraine can be resolved if the root causes of the crisis are eliminated has begun to settle in."
Lavrov said that all these issues were discussed at a consultative meeting between the Russian and US delegations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 18.
"It is time for the West to accept a new balance of power and start building relations with other countries on the basis of mutual respect," Lavrov said, emphasizing that hegemony and bloc politics should have no place in the multipolar world order.
"We discussed this with our American colleagues in Riyadh and agreed that international relations should be built on the basis of the national interests of each country. Geopolitical contradictions can only be resolved through UN resolutions and constructive cooperation," he noted.
