Rojava Kurds mistaken for trusting US, says Russian FM Sergey Lavrov

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) –  At the 20th annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club held in Sochi, Kurdish academic Dr. Muhammed Ihsan asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about Russia's position on a variety of issues pertaining to Kurds.

Regarding Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava), Lavrov responded that a serious threat to the future of the Kurds in Syria is the Kurdish administration’s embrace of the United States.

“The United States is exploiting the wealth and revenues belonging to Syrian Kurds,” Lavrov stated.

“The United States has always turned its back on its friends, including former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, as well as a number of its other former allies,” he further stressed.

Therefore, Lavrov said he was not optimistic about the future of the Kurds in Syria because he believes one day the United States will turn its back on them. However, "Russia is trying to protect the Kurds from the ravages and repercussions of war," he added.

Lavrov also touched upon the issues between Erbil and Baghdad, stressing that both are key Russian partners.

"While we do not intend to interfere in any country's affairs, we are striving to resolve the unfavorable situation between Erbil and Baghdad, in order for both sides to reach a settlement," the Russian FM noted.

Established in 2004, the Valdai Discussion Club is a Moscow-funded think tank with the international participation of 140 experts from 42 different countries to discuss current world politics. In 2022 and now in 2023, the Club has had a particular emphasis on the Ukraine War and the agendas of certain unipolar powers that seek to impose their will on the world, a semblant reference to the US.