The rare appearance by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the State Duma is always a special occasion to read the tea leaves in Russian politics. The salience here, to my mind, lies in the confirmation, if one was needed, that the Kremlin is watching with growing anxiety the transition of the US foreign policies, contrary to the stated claims by the Trump administration through the past one year period signalling a sort of retrenchment from international politics, to a new direction, in actual reality, of US global dominance.

It is entirely conceivable that India’s capitulation came as a big shock to Moscow — and that too, so soon after the theatrical grandstanding by PM Modi at the SCO summit in Tianjin in August/September. Lavrov’s guarded remarks about India’s somersault on purchase of Russian oil are tinged with disappointment — as popularised by Shakespeare in his play Julius Caesar where Caesar, upon seeing his trusted friend, Marcus Brutus, among his assassins, assimilated the ultimate shock, disbelief, and betrayal by a close ally by recalling the Latin phrase Et tu, Brute [‘You too, Brutus?’]

Lavrov’s voice sounded distant. Conceivably, this moment too will pass in the saga of Russian-Indian relationship but the fact remains that the world of tomorrow that the grandmaster in international diplomacy describes here — connecting  Venezuela, Cuba, Greenland, the Board of Peace, Iran, Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as inseparable links in a chain of events — underscores that India lives in another planet in a state of languorous forgetfulness desiring only to live in indolent ease.  

EXCERPTS: RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEY LAVROV’S STATEMENTS AT THE HEARINGS DURING A PLENARY SESSION OF THE STATE DUMA, MOSCOW, FEBRUARY 11, 2026 

A. NEW PHASE IN GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT: 

The dramatic events earlier this year, including the armed invasion of Venezuela by the United States, the escalation of US pressure on Cuba, the attempts to destabilise the situation in Iran, and the crisis around Greenland – all of which you have seen and heard about – have confirmed our assessment that the world has entered an era of swift and profound change. Some experts even argue an era of upheaval. One thing is clear, though. This is not a fleeting or temporary development, but a new phase in global development, perhaps even an era, which may last many years, even decades.

The main trend towards the formation of a more just and sustainable multipolar system will go hand in hand with a face-off between the existing, or rather former, leaders (most of which, as I earlier said, can be found in the West) and the new emerging growth centres representing the World Majority. This opposition is gaining momentum and affects virtually all geographical regions.

Viewed through this prism, it becomes clear why a former colonial power such as France is attempting to depose nationally oriented governments in the Sahel and other African regions that it finds objectionable. These countries have long since rejected the notion of following the dictates of their former colonial rulers. Yet Paris persists, seeking support not only among opposition groups in African countries but also among openly terrorist organisations and, as you may be aware, gunmen from Ukrainian formations. Regrettably, the French elites continue to follow their colonial methods, including the notorious divide-and-conquer principle, which has already cost African peoples millions of lives. Driven by its revanchist fantasies, Berlin is not far behind Paris. How else can one explain Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s statement of intent to once again make the German army the strongest in Europe? The current generation of German, French, and other European politicians has clearly forgotten Poltava, the Berezina, Stalingrad, and the Battle of Kursk.

The difficult strategic stability does not inspire optimism, either… We proceed from the understanding that the moratorium announced by President Putin remains in force on our side, but only as long as the United States does not exceed the above limits. We will act responsibly and in a balanced manner based on daily analysis of US military policy and the overall strategic environment.

Washington’s claims to Greenland is quite notable. As President Putin noted, we proceed from the understanding that this issue does not directly concern us. The United States, Denmark and Greenland must resolve it themselves, taking into account the views of the residents of the largest island, whom official Copenhagen treated rather harshly for many years and decades. One might say, as second-class citizens. There are ample facts to back this........

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