Lavrov compares West's approach towards Russia with Hitler's 'Final Solution'

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that the United States had assembled a coalition of European countries to solve "the Russian question" in the same way that Adolf Hitler had sought a "final solution" to eradicate Europe's Jews.

Lavrov, who caused an international furore last year with remarks about Hitler, said Washington was using the same tactic as Napoleon and the Nazis in trying to subjugate Europe in order to destroy Russia.

Using Ukraine as a proxy, he said, "they are waging war against our country with the same task: the 'final solution' of the Russian question".

"Just as Hitler wanted a 'final solution' to the Jewish question, now, if you read Western politicians ... they clearly say Russia must suffer a strategic defeat."

The 'Final Solution' was Hitler's Holocaust blueprint, which led to the systematic murder of 6 million Jews, as well as members of other minorities.

Lavrov has caused outrage before with remarks about Hitler. Last May he said the Nazi leader had had "Jewish blood", drawing angry protests from Israel.

UNITED STATES BROKE OFF TALKS ON STRATEGIC STABILITY

Lavrov said on Wednesday that the United States had broken off talks with Russia on strategic dialogue, and that relations between Washington and Moscow would not be the same as before.

Officials from the two sides were set to meet in Cairo last November to discuss resuming inspections under the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty, before the talks were scrapped at the last minute.
Moscow accused Washington of refusing to discuss a broader agenda of "strategic stability" between the world's two largest nuclear powers.

Lavrov also said former U.S. president Barack Obama was to blame for the start of a diplomatic row after he expelled 35 Russian diplomats following reports of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.

RUSSIA TO TAKE MEASURES IF FINLAND JOINS NATO

Lavrov said on Wednesday that Moscow would be forced to take unspecified measures on its border if Finland joined the NATO military alliance.

Finland and Sweden have applied to join the bloc and are currently in advanced negotiations over their accession.

Lavrov said Finland had long been a model of friendly relations, but had quickly changed its rhetoric towards Moscow.

He said Russia would therefore have to take "appropriate measures on our borders," if Finland, which shares a 1,300-kilometre (807-mile) border with Russia, did become a NATO member.