Lavrov accused the United States of cowardice because of the refusal to issue visas to Russian journalists

The US behavior is disgraceful, they chickened out by not issuing US visas to Russian journalists who are supposed to cover Moscow’s participation in the UN Security Council. About it declared Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“The country that calls itself the strongest, the smartest, the freest, the most just, has chickened out. In general, she did, I am convinced, stupidity, and showed what her oaths about protecting freedom of speech, access to information, and so on are really worth, ”Lavrov told the Russian media.

In his opinion, the statements of the Russian Federation at the meeting of the Security Council around the world will be of greater interest than to the “filtered information” that the West broadcasts. Lavrov added that Moscow “will not forget, will not forgive” the failure to issue visas to Russian media workers.

Earlier today, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova statedthat the Russian journalists who had arrived at the airport still had not received their visas. “On the question of the true attitude of the United States towards journalists. There are 40 minutes left before their flight to New York. They are all at the airport. Visas not issued. The answer from the American embassy: “we are working on it,” she wrote in her Telegram channel.

In April, Russia begins its chairmanship of the UN Security Council. In particular, on April 25, Lavrov will chair an open ministerial-level debate in the UN Security Council on resolving the situation in the Middle East, Zakharova previously reported.

On April 19, the Foreign Ministry announced that the United States was obliged to issue visas to Russian journalists to cover the minister’s participation in the UN Security Council.

“Obliged really [выдать визы]because journalists are not going to cover American life, not American elections, which they also have the right to, as soon as America declares its commitment to freedom of speech. They go to the UN, and Russia presides there and a delegation is being formed, they are part of this delegation,” Zakharova said on Sputnik radio.

Lavrov himself and members of the delegation accompanying him received American visas to participate in the UN Security Council. Earlier, during a press conference, the minister promised journalists to defend the right to obtain visas to the United States.