Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya said that the “destabilization of the African Sahel region in general, and Mali in particular, was a result of the ‘reckless Western adventure’ in Libya.”
During his speech at the Security Council on the situation in Mali, the Russian diplomat called on Western countries to “admit their mistakes and abandon the neo-colonial narrative.”
Nebenzya also called for the West to “allow the countries of the region to address their problems jointly, with any partners of their choosing.”
Earlier this week, the Libyan Parliament-designated Prime Minister, Fathi Bashagha said his government was hoping to improve bilateral ties with Russia.
In an interview with Russia’s news agency, Sputnik, the Libyan PM said that “relations between Moscow and his cabinet are yet to reach the desired level. We hope that these ties will further be strengthened, and that new horizons for our relations and diplomatic exchange will be opened. The fact that Libya is currently ruled by two rival governments affects the way many countries are looking at the situation in Libya.”
Bashagha added that the current power split, and the existence of two governments “will hinder any elections set to take place in the country.”
He promised to “work diligently with national and international parties that believe in democracy, unity, the unification of institutions, and the restoration of security in order to hold fair and transparent elections.”
In December 2022, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of “pushing Libya and other countries to the abyss,” recalling the interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During his meeting with the Heads and Directors of the Russian media, Lavrov strongly criticized the US intervention in “countries that are tens of thousands of miles away from it, under the pretext of a threat.”
“The matter led to many tragedies on the economic and social levels, and led to the death of more than a million civilians, and pushed those countries to the brink of the abyss,” Lavrov said, according to Russia Today.
In May, Lavrov attacked the “hypocrisy of the West,” when it intervened militarily in Libya and other regions under American pressure, amid international inaction.
Lavrov has stated that the Russian private paramilitary company, Wagner Group is present in Libya and Mali on a “commercial basis.”
