MOSCOW

Russia is focusing on enhancing cooperation with countries that have not joined the West’s push for sanctions, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

A majority of the international community does not support the West’s “hybrid war” on Moscow because they are guided by their own “fundamental national interests,” Lavrov said at a conference on international cooperation for Russian regions.

“The modern world is striving for multipolarity,” he said.

On the withdrawal of Western firms from Russia since the start of the Ukraine war, he said their exit has created “promising niches” for companies from “friendly countries.”

He said two-thirds of Russia’s regions have interregional agreements with China, while cooperation with Belarus, India, and Middle Eastern nations is also on the rise.

“It is important to support international projects that contribute to strengthening the technological sovereignty of the country,” said Lavrov.

He also emphasized the need for the “development of parallel imports, import substitution, preservation of enterprises created with foreign investors, as well as increasing the output of products necessary to fulfill the needs of a special military operation.”

He said regional cooperation should be increased in Eurasian associations, including the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

“Next year Russia will preside over the EAEU, and … will be devoted to building cooperation with third countries and their associations,” he said.