The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
1 December 2021
In connection with the so called summit for democracy to be held on December 9-10 at the initiative of the US administration, we consider it necessary to make the following statement.
The organisers and enthusiasts behind this strange event claim to lead the world in advancing the cause of democracy and human rights. However, the track record and reputation of the United States, Great Britain, and the EU member states in terms of respecting democratic rights and freedoms at home, as well as in the international arena, are, to put it mildly, far from ideal.
The evidence suggests that the United States and its allies cannot and should not claim the status of a “beacon” of democracy, since they themselves have chronic problems with freedom of speech, election administration, corruption and human rights.
The editorial policy of major Western media outlets is, in fact, controlled by the partisan and corporate elites. Well-oiled mechanisms for censorship, self-censorship and the removal of unwanted accounts and content from digital platforms are used to suppress dissent in the media, which represents a gross violation of the right to free expression promoted by the West.
Social media platforms controlled by US corporations are widely used for disinformation, propaganda and manipulation of public opinion. Mass electronic surveillance by intelligence agencies and the IT corporations that collaborate with them has become a reality of daily life in Western states.
About a year ago, during the election campaign in the United States, the world saw how the archaic electoral system of that country began to crumble. The existing vote counting mechanism has revealed itself to have many weaknesses. Millions of Americans question the fairness and transparency of the 2020 presidential election. This is understandable, because the way it was conducted and its outcome involved dubious practices such as gerrymandering, multi-week mail voting, and denying observers, especially international ones, access to polling stations.
Serious questions arise from the continuing reprisals of US authorities against protesters outside the Capitol on January 6, whom the US administration and aligned media openly call “domestic terrorists.” Dozens of people who disagreed with the results of the presidential election were sentenced to prison time which is disproportionate to their opposition activities.
While fashioning itself as the “global democratic leader”, the United States has for many years led the world in the number of prisoners (over 2 million people). Conditions in many penitentiary institutions degrade human dignity. Washington continues to keep silent about torture at the Guantanamo Bay prison. The US intelligence services pioneered the creation of secret prisons in allied states, a practice without precedent in the modern world.
Lobbying in the United States is, in fact, legalised corruption. Legislatures are de facto controlled by big business. Both within the country and internationally, they primarily defend the interests of their sponsors, such as private corporations, rather than the people, voters.
Against this backdrop, the democratising rhetoric coming from Washington is not only completely disconnected from reality, but is also utterly hypocritical. Before embarking on the path of “exporting democracy,” we urge our North American partners to first address their problems at home, and to try to overcome the deepening divisions in society on matters of ethics, values, and vision of the country’s past and future. Humbly admitting that US democracy is not perfect is clearly not enough.
Great Britain cannot position itself as a progressive democracy, either. That country is a comfortable home to organisations professing neo-Nazi ideology with rising incidents of racism and discrimination against ethnic and cultural minorities in many spheres of public life. There have been cases of British intelligence illegally gathering personal data of their own citizens, and police violence, including against peaceful demonstrators, has become commonplace.
The situation in the EU is no better. Brussels consistently ignores the legitimate rights and interests of ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking residents in the Baltic states, Ukraine and Moldova. It turns a blind eye to the mythmaking of the new EU member states in political history, where former Nazi henchmen who committed war crimes are proclaimed national heroes. Administrative suppression of dissent, aggressive inculcation of ultra-liberal values and practices that are destroying the Christian foundations of European civilisation have become commonplace in many EU states.
Claiming to be on the right side of ideology and morality, the United States and a small group of its allies have undermined confidence in themselves with aggressive actions on the world stage under the banner of “promoting democracy.” There were more than a dozen military interventions and attempts at “regime change” over the past 30 years. Provocative actions in the military-political sphere often flagrantly violate international law, and cause only chaos and destruction.
Recent history shows that military adventures with the aim of forced democratisation ended in bloody wars and national tragedies in the countries that fell victim to this policy, among them former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria. All kinds of pretexts were used to unleash wars – the need to combat terrorism and WMD proliferation and “to protect civilians.”
Everyone remembers how after the military intervention of “the coalition of the willing” in Iraq in 2003, President George W. Bush on board the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier announced the victory of democracy in that country. What happened next is common knowledge. There are no precise statistics to this day but according to some estimates, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis perished before their time.
Despite spending enormous sums running into the trillions of dollars, the American mission in Afghanistan ended in complete failure. The chaotic exodus of Americans and other members of the US-led coalition from Kabul last August was the sad culmination of the “war on terror” that lasted more than 20 years.
Libya has still yet to recover from NATO operation to “protect the civilians”. For all the peculiarities of the former socio-political system in the Jamahiriya, Libya was a stable country that ensured decent living standards for its population. This ill-conceived military action led, among other consequences, to the uncontrolled spread of weapons and terrorists in the entire Sahara-Sahel region.
We can continue quoting examples revealing the hypocrisy at the core of this “summit for democracy.” But is it necessary?
Russia, whom our Western colleagues have accused of almost every mortal sin of late, is shaping its foreign policy in a different way. We do not impose our own development model on anyone. We respect cultural and religious identities of every nation as well as distinct qualities of their political systems. We also respect the right of every nation to detemine in an independent way its path of development. We are not going to dictate our world view to anyone. In the international arena, the rules we follow are the UN Charter #OurRulesUNCharter .
Russia strives to play a balancing, stabilising role in global politics. We uphold sovereign equality of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, non-use of force or threat of force, and peaceful settlement of disputes. We stand for international relations based on peaceful coexistence, cooperation and solidarity, equal universal security and fair distribution of the benefits of globalisation.
Russia is a world power with Eurasian and European roots to its identity. It does not chart its development trajectory exclusively in line with trans-Atlantic political, economic and cultural templates. We do not agree with the aggressive imposition of the so-called “new ethics” that are destroying moral standards upheld by traditional religions and respected by humanity for centuries.
Pursuing a non-confrontational and well-balanced foreign policy, we strive to create opportunities for the unimpeded development of all international players. We do not copy the example of the Western countries and do not intrude in their domestic affairs: if individuals living in these countries, or some of them, support the destruction of traditional moral and spiritual values, we merely regret this but nothing more than that.
We support dialogue between cultures, religions and civilisations as an important instrument for forming a unifying agenda and building up trust in relations between states and societies.
To resolve pressing problems, we urge all foreign partners not to engage in “democracy promotion,” not to draw new dividing lines, but to return to the compliance with international law and to enforce the principle of the sovereign equality of states, which is enshrined in the UN Charter. It embodies the foundation for a democratic world order that the US and its allies do not accept.
As humanity continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftereffects, the cooperation of all states on the basis of the principles of the UN Charter is needed now more than ever.
We will closely follow the “summit for democracy.”
There is cca 100 000 ukies forces on borders with Donbass so this summit is very good timing for making some creazy moves?!
Excellent statement; I will forward it like crazy, but I’m afraid it surpasses the average western citizen cognitive capabilities by several orders of magnitude.
More than a few lines and no factoids in bullets, scarce monosyllabic words, no gender compliance bullshit, no reference to tv shows, and especially weird neologisms like “sovereignty”… I fear no western tardigrade may understand this.
This communique by the Russian ministry of foreign affairs was highly awaited. However , I am afraid the censorship currently in force in the western media will only result in this not being broadcast in Europe and the USA. In case they even broadcast it, they will only give it a few seconds, as well as a poor translation just to depict Russians as the usual vindicative aggressor.
When I read a statement like this, I feel there’s still hope for sanity. Unlike the American type BS statements we have been bombarded with from officials in Washington.
God bless Russia.
Well said. As an American citizen I watch as patiently as possible as this country slowly disintegrates over my lifetime (62 yrs.).
We reap what we sow. All very well presented in this statement. May we find a way to true peace for all humanity by the end of this. What ‘this’ will be I have no idea but feel certain I will not live to see the end of it. It didn’t have to be this way but I’m not a dictator of others thoughts and actions. The earth is an experience to be shared by all. Death is a door.
I am sorry to say that, but
Russia can issue communiques, but Russia cannot do anything against the joint western aggression.
Russia cannot prevent usa putting nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Well..if I am not wrong this is one of Putin’s red lines so if Russia is consistent and coherent with what they consider and declare to be “red lines” then Russia will do something about it!
Symetrically or assymetrically…
You mean shareholder red lines :)? Compromise never ends well when it comes to the interests of big players-the weaker suffer. Who are the weaker here, Russians or business elite?
Sputnik, today
Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes that the sharp reaction of Minsk will not lead to the violation of the agreement on deliveries of Russian gas to Europe, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“It is completely unjustified pressure, aggressive pressure that cannot but result in a sharp counter-reaction from Belarus …..but on the other hand the president of course reckons that this will in no way disrupt compliance. of our obligations towards European gas buyers, especially in this difficult time for Europeans, “Peskov pointed out.
Well then, time to put nuclear armaments in Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua.
Hi from Tehran. I don’t really think this is about exchanging N. Bombs between Russia and the US. Both have these big weapons, but I recall Russia has the bigger one known as Tsar Bomba the one that could just pulverized one-half of the US in a flash. Interestingly, Russia never brags about that unlike the US which does brag about everything. Anyway, in the upcoming battle of the titans it’s important to find out on whose side Iran will be standing. History has shown the one who has Iran on its side will win the final battle. You may ask why is that? and the answer is this whole Western Shebang world order stuff is directly related to the control system of the main hydrocarbon reserves of the Middle East (mostly) and the hegemony of the US dollar is squarely based on that. Iran is the only country whose geography allows it to change this game for good. And I think we Iranian have become truly sick and tired of the American superman-style way of life which they are trying very hard to promote 24/7. It’s not good for anybody on the planet i.e. nobody wants it, so they better sh..ve it. We will stand firmly with Russia, because the Russians have shown that they are a lot more elaborate and responsible culture / civilization. They don’t have a long history of bugging/pillaging anybody for no reasons . And they are working towards a better future for all the people on this planet. So bye bye America. Good riddance.
I believe they will and they can,either that or try and put them in Cuba,that should be a huge red line for Russia.
What if Russia ships a few of her new hyper-sonic, nuclear capable missiles to Cuba as answer to such an insane move by the Empire? Perhaps that will remind Joe Biden and Antny Blinken of a similar situation 60 years ago?
This is how it should have been said much earlier. There was enough material. Just as Putin has only now called on Western partners for written guarantees for NATO’s non-expansion to the east.
……… we urge all foreign partners not to engage in “democracy promotion,” not to draw new dividing lines, but to return to compliance with international law and to enforce the principle of the sovereign equality of states , which is enshrined in the UN Charter …….
After this, let’s hope that russian leadership will not repeat itself again, but that we will see hypersonic weapons and Russian soldiers in action. The others keep dry gunpowder and wait. When they lose on the military field, only then will there be confusion and insecurity in invincibility of West. Only then will the civil unrest and conflicts in the West between themselves begin.
This is how it should have ben said much earlier.
When should this have been said djole? Can you suggest a time or an event? After Yugoslavia? Pre-Maidan? Post-Maidan? Post-Syria? When?
After this, let’s hope that russian leadership will not repeat itself again, but that we will see hypersonic weapons and Russian soldiers in action
How old are you? Do you know what you’re wishing for? Have you experienced war or met victims of war? If you haven’t, then may I suggest you keep your jingoism in your pocket. And switch off your video game console.
Bravo Russia
That needed to be said.
In my youth I never thought that one day, I would be ashamed of my Government for both supporting Fascism abroad, and instituting it in Denmark.
I also never believed that one day I would praise Russia for standing up for Human Rights, and every Nations right to sovereignty and self determination, including the respect for international laws.
But here we are.
Well Said Russia
Excellent. It is as they hired Dmitry Orlov to write the speech. I am sure Us State Dept. have read the text, after all that is what spies are for, to watch the enemy, including media. Whether ZioUSUK understand the translation, is a different question.
I am afraid if they understand it literally, they will be mighty offended, to the point of doing something stupid to provoke Russian response. They would do it openly, for whole world to see how Russians are punished for trash talking them. I hope that would be a cue for Russians to move in right direction, and we all know or believe how the whole thing would end.
The US leading a so-called conference on democracy and human rights is a lot like the Vatican leading an organization for the protection of children from sexual abuse. Are they going to have a Guantanamo display at the conference? Are they going to have a Julian Assange booth at the conference ? This makes no sense!
The Anglozionist colonialists want us to turn reality upside down on its head! The moral and thinking population of the world will do no such thing. Come what may.
The USA has no recent experience of war in its own land: it has fought many wars, but all ‘overseas’. Its people, in general, only know of the Hollywood version with the USA always as the hero. For this reason, the people tolerate and even welcome war – in other parts of the world. That is why it has a long history of aggression – that, and the profits involved!
Its attitude to war and aggression will not change until the USA experiences first-hand the true horrors of war: death, destruction, suffering and chaos; brutality and lies; the worst side of human nature (animal passion) predominating.
This will come to pass in all-out war when nuclear missiles rain down on the major cities of the USA. Sadly, it will then be too late: there will be nobody left to learn.
This great statement from the Russian Ministry has to go through a wall of propaganda, manufactured consent and cognitive dissonance before it resonates with western audience. The statement is far too polite or diplomatic for the Sociopaths running the collective west, as it will simply fall on deaf ears. I wish Russia would go for the jugular and expose the 9/11 false flag attacks on all their available channels. That backed by Russia’s latest weapons will get their attention!
So the same America that has had multiple *stolen* presidential or congressional elections in the past couple of decades perpetrated by both Republicans and Democrats is now hosting a Summit for (snicker) Democracy.
To top it off, America appoints itself the moral judge and jury of which nations are a real “democracy” and thus worthy of being invited to this political farce. By wild coincidence, the nations invited–or not invited–to this shindig just so happen to coincide with those nations who are respectively on America’s vassal and enemies list.
All hail America’s Summit for Hypocrisy!!!
To rig primary against Bernie, DNC chair Tom Perez nominates regime-change agents, Israel lobbyists, and Wall Street consultants
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/01/27/dnc-perez-regime-change-agents-israel-lobbyists-wall-street-rig-game-bernie/
Acronym group that sabotaged Iowa caucus birthed by billionaire who funded Alabama disinformation campaign
https://thegrayzone.com/2020/02/06/acronym-iowa-caucus-billionaire-alabama-disinformation/
Sanders is an Independent (and co-sponsor of F35 BTW) and as such the Democratic Party has every right to run a candidate for Senate as a Democrat?
Why exactly would you ONLY see a conspiracy now and NOT the conspiracy of the Democrats consistently helping Sanders, an Independent, who IS ACTUALLY A DEMOCRAT, by NOT running a Democratic candidate so as not split the vote in Vermont which traditionally favours the Republicans for the Senate (i.e. no democrat senator elected since 1826)
In real countries, federal authorities investigate this type of de facto collusion and fraudulent ‘front’ candidate strategies as it’s illegal — of course such deliberate sabotage, misrepresentation and ‘bait and switch’ manipulation is the very heart of US hegemonic puppetry of it’s post war empire.
The deadliest export from the United States is democracy, which would continue the evil around the world since the import of democracy to Chile and the assassination of Allende. Russia, Kim and Iran have stopped that, and now it has turned into a circus that is taking place on US soil, which has completely destroyed democracy for the American people.
The USA is not and never has been a Democracy. At best you can say it is a republic with democratic features or perhaps an elected monarchy, but democracy not at all.
The key to democracy is essentially equally weighting of all citizens. The further you remove form this goal the more you become an oligarchy or aristocracy.
The features of the US system that are fundamentally antidemocratic include:
1. The senate system which gives equal weight to California and Iowa. It may have made sense in 1800 when populations were equal but now it is ridiculous. It is particularly significant because the senate is the major house. Australia adopted a similar system but the senate is the minor house. In Australia the disparities between states are of course huge too but not as absurd as in the USA. Also the fact we elect 12 from each state by proportional representation means that the smaller states actually have a much more diverse voice that the larger ones. Most independent and minor party representatives come from the two smallest states.
2. Total lack of consistency in the voting methods in each state, so that corruption, voter suppression, gerrymandering, are normal
3. The fact that most senior positions are appointed not elected. In this it is very different from the Westminster system, where as a minimum the ministers are elected. The method in fact is much more like the Kings Council that we may have found in the monarchies of the 18th century.
4. The blatant politicization of the courts.
I am sure there are more
Hopefully that message spreads in Europe. If only the media…. Bla bla-bla… Thanks for sharing uplifting messages like this. I wonder where the UN stands? Last I heard it was really corrupt. Do you have an understanding or a proposal of how it could be remodeled for the better? Thanks.
Anglos are over the head in multiple fundamental problems. And all of them leads to sinigle source: overspending. In theory it can be solved by war tax over population via multiple tools (e.g.. hyperinflation). But… crypto feudal system already taxed 99% of population to the bones. ( do not fall into trap by saying that US salaries are big, because housing, transport, health, court system, education are insanely expensive. Junk food is not).
Only way to finance realy big war is to tap into coffers of 0.1%. Good luck with that.
Bottom line, they can not afford big war.
Now, back to the topic.
What would change if Ukraine is in NATO and nukes are in Ukraine? Will that cancel Mutual Assured Destruction?
Will tactical nuclear weapons make motley crew of mercenaries from all over the world victorious?
No way.
This summit and manufactured crisis has limited goals supported by unlimited amount of hot air. UKUS just want to damage EU – Russia/China relations as much as possible. Usefull idiots pays the price, not them. So why not to try?
False flag in 3…2…1……
My understanding is that Putin has issued an ultimatum to the US and NATO. He’s not being weak or mealy mouthed. We’re talking about a strong, clear, direct message to the West.
The West has been told to formally respect Russia’s legitimate, existential national interests in Ukraine. Or else something is going to happen.
Putin’s maneuvering on the diplomatic stage is superb. He knows the West only speaks the language of power. He realizes the West only respects power. And Putin’s words show he is dead serious about demonstrating Russia’s power very soon if something doesn’t change.
Russia is prepared for war. It’s economy is buffered against whatever additional damaging effects will ensue from future US sanctions. Russia’s foreign monetary reserves are at an all time high of $620 billion. Russia’s foreign debt has been largely paid down, and it’s debt to GDP ratio is exceptionally low for an industrialized country.
On the diplomatic front, Russia has forged a strategic partnership with China, an emerging superpower that is growing increasingly hostile toward the US.
Militarily, Russia’s army is stronger now than at any point since the 1980s, when the Soviet army was second only to the American in efficiency and overall power. Russia’s military personnel are reputed to be well-trained and organized, and it’s weapons technology is top tier.
Ironically, at this very moment the Ukies are rumored to have concentrated 125,000 troops very close to Donbass. That means if the West fails to deliver the formal assurances Putin expects of them, the Russian army will have an ideal opportunity to sweep into the country currently called Ukraine, and quickly encircle all 125,000 Ukie troops in East Ukraine. From there, Russia can a 1870 Sedan style victory: quick, efficient, utterly devastating to the enemy, and decisive.
Should events unfold as I imagine they might, the US State Department and its Atlantic Alliance corollaries will have a lot of egg on their face indeed. Their position in Ukraine – an overextended imperial outpost, really – will have been deconstructed by Russia in one fell swoop.
A most excellent document and very true. The US is becoming more fascist every day and all words used by US officials have to be interpreted in an Orwellian fashion. Democracy in the US meaning is a stooge of Wall street and the City of London ruling in a faked election.”Rules based order” means ignore the rules of International law and submit to Washington diktats.
The battle on the ideological front has started.
I’m reminded of a sentence from the good book:
“That you are even discussing it means you have already been defeated.” lol
How much more of an education does one really need? lol!!!
O, wait here comes gunboat diplomacy?
Cheers
Excellent statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry. All the participants at the Summit know this, but they will play along with the US. The Summit will try to create a political front against Russia, China and Iran, but nothing will come out of this.
Superb comment from russia. Really on the point. Thx for sharing.
I am surprised that the financial feudalism isn’t addressed, though.
Imho:
The part about UK should have mentioned the case of Assange and the city of London.
The part about the EU should have mentioned the neocolonial exploitation (especially by france) of Africa and the periphery in general. Even more disturbing if we realise what kind of immigration policy the EU is developing – Frontex etc.
Still a really outstanding document.
Big respect
Weel, Russian Foreign Ministry has thrown the gloves off, as they should have a long time ago. In any case, I like what I see :)
A wonderful statement and great listing of the Empire’s evil anti democratic deeds and human rights abuses. However, the statement misses addressing the treatment of whistleblowers that expose the Empire’s crimes. The foreign ministry should have listed the names of all that shine the light of truth and democracy on the evils of Empire.