The current administration must balance appeasing its European allies and Russophobes at home while pursuing its economic interests, Sergey Lavrov has said

The Trump administration's "anti-Russian steps" are driven by domestic political pressure, the need to appease Europe, and the desire to dominate the global energy market, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told RT.

Moscow understands "perfectly well" that the administration of US President Donald Trump cannot ignore these factors, Lavrov said in an exclusive interview aired on Thursday, ahead of Diplomatic Workers' Day.

Under Trump, the US has re-established contact with Moscow - which was virtually reduced to zero under his predecessor, Joe Biden - and has been playing the role of mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Nevertheless, it has continued to exert pressure on Russia, including by threatening its trade partners, such as India, with tariffs if they continue to buy Russian oil.

"Domestically, a very large number of Democrats, primarily, but also some Republicans, hold Russophobic positions," Lavrov said, commenting on the Trump administration's approach.

"To maintain the loyalty of this Russophobic wing, it must take some anti-Russian steps," he added. He also suggested that the administration needs to "appease" Europe, "feeding something nice" to it.

"Russophobia... is seen as the price to pay for the inconveniences the US is creating for Europe," Lavrov said.

The US has embedded itself as a major supplier of liquefied natural gas to the EU countries after they abandoned Russian energy imports as part of sanctions linked to the Ukraine conflict. Last month, the German Environmental Aid Association said Germany, which relied on Russia for 55% of its natural gas consumption before the escalation of the conflict in 2022, is now almost fully dependent on the US for LNG imports.

According to Lavrov, this development also plays into America's hands as it continues to pursue the role of economic hegemon. "The goal, by and large, is dominance in the global economy, including in energy," he said, adding that "the bottom line is clear."

(RT.com)