Russia warns West not to meddle in former Soviet Union

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Russia's foreign minister says the United States and other Western countries must not meddle in the former Soviet Union. Sergey Lavrov told a group of foreign business leaders Wednesday that Russia has no monopoly on relations with neighboring former Soviet republics. He said Moscow understands that the US and European Union have interests in the region. But Lavrov said Western countries must not protect those interests at Russia's expense, and warned against "behind-the-scenes meddling" in Moscow's backyard. Lavrov said the US and EU are key partners and echoed Russian leaders' expressions of hope for constructive relations with the incoming US administration. But he stressed Russia's opposition to US missile defense plans and NATO expansion.