Russian diplomat claims NATO's time has passed in bold forum speech

Sergei Lavrov, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry, claimed that NATO is a relic of the past and should have ceased to exist when its original reason for creation disappeared. He made these statements to the participants of the International Exhibition-Forum "Russia", presenting his unusual arguments to justify his claim.

Many reports by the Russian media and government officials are potentially false. Such misinformation could be part of an information war initiated by the Russian Federation.

"NATO spreads its influence, much like we said in Soviet times, across the globe. Regrettably, I believe they will reach their limits. You cannot so blatantly and persistently impose your hegemony on everyone - the times have changed," said Lavrov.

He further stated that NATO should have ceased to exist after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact.

"The North Atlantic Treaty was established to contain the influence of the Soviet Union, especially in Eastern Europe. Only then, in retaliation, the Warsaw Pact was established," explained Lavrov, the head of Russian diplomacy.

Lavrov also mentioned that despite the fall of the Soviet Union, NATO pursued a direction of attracting new countries into the alliance, as tensions between Russia and the West escalated.

Lavrov continued his criticism against the West, echoing the type of rhetoric used by Putin's propaganda.

"We are now witnessing the Anglo-Saxons literally pushing the Middle East to the brink of a large-scale war. This same political approach is evident in other regions, including Ukraine. There are many examples, but the result is the same: loss or weakening of statehood, as seen in Iraq and Libya, and as they attempted in the Syrian Arab Republic," stated the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

He concluded that the strategy employed by the West "incites terrorist activity and exacerbates the migration crisis".