US is not yet able to accept its ‘loss of hegemony’, Russia hits back

Moscow: Accusing the US of pursuing a ‘neocolonial’ policy on countries in Global South, Russia on Monday said that the US tariffs and sanctions would not change the ‘natural course of history’.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Russia would boost cooperation with countries choosing independent course on the international stage in order to form ‘truly multilateral’ world order, NDTV reported.

Moscow’s strong response came after President Trump announced new tariffs on dozens of countries.

Zakharova, who called sanctions and tariffs a ‘regrettable reality’ affecting entire world, said that the US was not yet able to accept its ‘loss of hegemony in the emerging world order’.

‘Sanctions and restrictions have unfortunately become a defining feature of the current historical period, impacting countries across the globe. Unable to accept the erosion of its dominance in an emerging multipolar international order, Washington continues to pursue a neocolonial agenda, employing politically motivated economic pressure against those who choose an independent course on the international stage,’ she was quoted as saying.

Zakharova said Trump’s tariff policy against Russia’s partners in Global South is a ‘direct encroachment’ on their sovereignty and an ‘attempt to interfere in their internal affairs’.

Expressing willingness to deepen cooperation to resist the ‘unlawful unilateral sanctions’, Zakharova said that ‘no tariff wars or sanctions can halt the natural course of history’.

‘We are supported by a vast number of partners, like-minded states, and allies, particularly among the countries of the Global South and, above all, within BRICS, who share this perspective,’ Zakharova added.

The vast number of partners that Zakharova referred to was the group BRICS comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa and new entrants Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

The US policy of tariffs and sanctions, according to Zakharova, could slowdown economic growth, disrupt supply chains affecting global economy.

‘Contrary to the basic provisions in the area of free trade, which the Western countries themselves once promoted, there is politically motivated protectionism and voluntaristic build-up of tariff barriers,’ she added.