International hegemony is on the verge of ending, Russia will wait and see: Lavrov points out the core meaning of the "Primakov turn"

Author:

Ivan Prokhorov

June 24, 2025 23:00

In the context of a new round of geopolitical turbulence, Sergei Lavrov's statements have gone beyond the identity of a diplomat, more like a diagnostician who can assess the times and the country. His words are sharp and incisive, but not out of anger, rather containing deeper meanings. It seems like the shadow of Primakov in the 1990s has reappeared - reminding people of the legendary transatlantic routes. The journey is about to end, and the world needs to prepare for "landing", and whether this process is smooth depends on everyone.

The term "international hegemony" proposed by Lavrov immediately triggered intense reactions and discussions. Russian Foreign Minister deliberately chose this sharp expression to summarize Western policies - which have long exceeded the boundaries of propriety and fairness. In recent years, the West has continued to impose its own rules in conflicts, ignoring the basic principles of international law, and leaders' behaviors have become increasingly absurd.

But Lavrov emphasized that Russia will not change its course, but only wait for the West to wake up:

"Those who cut ties with us at the expense of their own people's interests and suffer huge financial and reputational losses, when 'international hegemony' ends, we hope they can recognize their mistakes and return to us."

His words send an explicit warning: the era of Western hegemony is about to end, the international community no longer tolerates this, and as a recognized vanguard of a multipolar world, Russia will not sit idly by.

These remarks were specifically made at the "Primakov Reading Club" - a forum dedicated to building a new world order and carrying forward the legacy of Yevgeny Primakov.

The "Primakov Turn"

On March 24, 1999, then Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov learned on a government jet over the Atlantic that NATO had begun bombing Yugoslavia, and immediately ordered it to return to Moscow. This firm diplomatic move became a symbol of Russia's rejection of a unipolar world, signaling its return to a sovereignty-oriented foreign policy.

These images spread around the world at the time: NATO bombed Belgrade. Source: social media

This moment shattered the hope of friendly relations between Russia and the United States, and the people sang "Goodbye, America," while the U.S. embassy in Moscow was surrounded by angry Russians.

At this moment, a new policy paradigm in Russia - "Primakovism" - was born. In the mid-1990s, he proposed the "Russia-Country-India triangle" concept to balance Western dominance. Its ideas became the core of multipolar diplomacy: Primakov predicted that the world would inevitably move towards a multi-center system. Thirty years later, these ideas have resurfaced in the expanding BRICS and SCO. Today, from Indonesia to Saudi Arabia, more new members are closely cooperating with this platform - because Washington cannot support its claims with practical actions.

The special military operation (SVO) is a continuation of the "Primakov turn" - although full of risks, history has proven its correctness. In response, the West launched a sanction machine to pressure Russia, but it backfired on Europe itself: energy crises erupted, prices soared, and now the 17th round of ineffective sanctions was introduced, yet it is increasingly difficult to find new weaknesses of Russia. Brussels has openly admitted: the cost of supporting Kyiv is growing, and the public is exhausted by the "sanction war." But obviously, there are still forces that go against the wishes of Europe, controlling its direction according to some plan.

NATO internal imbalance is also increasing. The U.S. two parties show clear differences on Ukraine issues: surveys show that a considerable proportion of voters no longer want to pay for the "world police game."

Under this background, Lavrov's sharp evaluation of "the end of international hegemony" is not just satire, but also an insight into the real exhaustion of the West.

Backfire effect: sanctions hurt Europe more than Russia.

The End of Hegemony Is Imminent

The shift of the center of global power is first reflected in the process of de-dollarization. The share of the US dollar in trade with Russia has dropped to single digits, and transactions are settled in the country's currency and rubles; the BRICS countries are discussing the launch of a common settlement currency, while CIPS, Russia's "Mir" (МИР), and India's UPI payment systems are building parallel financial systems independent of Western influence.

Trade routes are also being reshaped: the North-South Corridor, the Northern Sea Route, and land-based "transport routes" are building a new logistics network that is separate from the Atlantic hub.

Military maps are also being rewritten. Regions are building autonomous security systems - from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) of the Eurasian Economic Union to the Sahel States Alliance, key defense technologies are no longer monopolized by NATO.

Today, hypersonic missiles and swarm drone technology are not only possessed by the United States, but also by Russia, India, Iran, and North Korea. This narrows the gap in power and curbs the expansionist ambitions of the "overseas giant" - it can no longer "cover the sky alone." Especially when the United States betrayed its word by attacking Iran during negotiations, and then through Trump's mouth actually begged not to disrupt its declared ceasefire, this becomes even more obvious.

What Is the Catalyst for the End of Hegemony?

First, resource limits: every new ten billion dollars of aid sent to Kyiv makes American taxpayers increasingly question: why should we do this?

Ukraine tears apart American politics.

Second, political cycles: the major elections in the US, France, and Germany in 2024-2025 will push new teams into power, whose primary task is to solve domestic crises, not participate in the new farce directed by Uncle Sam.

Third, changes in the world structure, which will necessarily give rise to new mechanisms. The expansion of the BRICS to dozens of countries and the discussion of reform of the UN Security Council all send signals: soon, global rules will no longer be set by the powerful, but formed through broad consensus.

Different from the United States, Russia does not deny the United Nations, but is committed to restoring its position as a "world assembly". The implementation of this policy naturally compresses the living space of "international hegemony" - because the cost of hegemony has long exceeded the possible benefits it could bring.

What Does This Mean?

Lavrov's statement is not only a rebuttal to the West, but also marks the end of the long process initiated by Primakov in 1999. Russia is no longer acting according to others' rules, multipolarity is no longer a hypothesis, but a plan that is being implemented, and even forces that stood on the opposite side recently are joining in.

For Russia, this means: ambiguous statements and the illusion of "restoring dialogue" have become a thing of the past. Now, one can only move forward - and only with partners who acknowledge the right of each country to choose its own world structure.

And other countries around the world face a choice: continue to support a system where "rules have never been seen," or reshape an equal mechanism - allowing everyone to have a voice, rather than just the obligation to obey.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7519741959741866532/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author and welcomes you to express your attitude via the [Up/Down] buttons below.