Russia Slams 'Arrogant' US Policies In UN Speech

The Russian government dedicated the majority of its Saturday speech before the UN General Assembly to castigating the US and European powers for their alleged arrogance abroad.

Using terms like "national egotism," "double standards," and "attempts to distort the truth," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the international body that the US must pull back its unilateral approach to foreign affairs or risk the negative consequences. Lavrov placed particular emphasis on Ukraine.

"Today Ukraine has fallen victim to such an arrogant policy. The situation there has revealed the remaining deep-rooted systemic flaws of the existing architecture in the Euro-Atlantic area. The West has embarked upon the course towards 'vertical structuring of humanity' tailored to its own hardly inoffensive standards," Lavrov said, according to a UN transcript.

Ukraine has been a focal point of tension between Russia and US-aligned countries. The US has accused Russia of providing direct military support to Ukrainian separatists; Russia has denied the accusations despite evidence of its troops in Eastern Ukraine. Both the EU and the US have placed sanctions designed to punish Russia, which has taken steps to retaliate.

But Lavrov did not limit his foreign policy critique to Eastern Europe. The Russian foreign minister accused the West of tactics that threaten to divide the entire world into two competing sides.

"The new dividing lines in Europe should not be allowed, even more so that under globalization these lines can turn into a watershed between the West and the rest of the world," he continued. "It should be stated honestly that no one has the monopoly on truth and no one can anymore tailor the global and regional processes to one's own needs."

Lavrov concluded his remarks by suggesting some countries were more motivated by internal politics than the common good.

"Join our efforts and forget about unilateral interests and national electoral cycles when it comes to countering the global threats to all of humanity," he said. "It should not be allowed that the national egotism prevail over collective responsibility."