Laughter greets Russia's Lavrov when he blames West for Ukraine war

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has once again tried to hold the West responsible for the war in Ukraine, but participants at a geopolitical conference in New Delhi on Friday wouldn't have it.

When asked how the conflict has affected Russia's energy strategy, Lavrov said: "You know the war which we are trying to stop and which was launched against us using the Ukrainian people," a statement that was met by the audience with wholehearted laughter.

After a brief pause, the Russian foreign minister went on to say: "Of course [the conflict] influenced the policy of Russia, including the energy policy."

"The blunt way to describe what changed: We would not rely any more on any partners in the West," Lavrov added.

Instead, Russia was looking for reliable energy partners like India and China, according to the minister.

While this wasn't the first time that the Kremlin has blamed the West for its invasion of Ukraine, ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin more than a year ago, what was remarkable was that Lavrov referred to the conflict as a "war."

Moscow continues to call it a "special military operation," and it is a punishable offence in Russia to refer to the offensive in Ukraine as a war.

At the end of the 30-minute discussion during the Raisina Dialogue, India's flagship conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics held annually in New Delhi, the moderator asked Lavrov whether he could promise that the next conversation would take place during less "contentious" times.

"Well the Americans would certainly suggest some questions which you can use," the Russian minister said, before leaving the stage with a smile and to the laughter of the audience.

India maintains close economic and military ties with Russia and wants to remain neutral regarding the conflict with Ukraine. Much of the equipment of the Indian armed forces comes from Russia.

Most recently, the South Asian country with the second largest population in the world after China abstained in a vote at the UN General Assembly for a resolution calling for peace and Moscow's withdrawal on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.