Shafaq News/ Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the West and the United States of attempting to eliminate Russia and China.

During a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, on Friday in Ankara, Lavrov claimed that the Western media had a clear desire to "strategically defeat Russia" while revealing their goals of getting rid of competitors and abolishing any country that practices independent policies, by the Charter of the United Nations.

He further stated that after Russia is eliminated, the next target would be China and any "country that defends its independent interests instead of those of the United States, which has subjugated all Western countries to its interests."

Moreover, Lavrov talked about the Ukrainian issue, stating that the "destructive course of the collective West continues." claiming that "they do not want to stop military operations and sit at the negotiating table despite daily declarations from Kyiv, Washington, and Brussels, who claim to be ready for talks without taking into account the guarantees that Russia requires."

Russia and the West have strained for many years, with tensions escalating over issues such as Ukraine, Syria and allegations of election interference.

There have been sanctions and diplomatic expulsions on both sides, and efforts to improve relations have been hampered by disagreements on key issues.

The conflict in Ukraine has been a significant source of tension, with Russia annexing Crimea in 2014 and supporting separatist rebels in the eastern part of the country. The West has imposed sanctions on Russia in response, and occasional military clashes have occurred.

The conflict in Syria has also been a point of contention, with Russia supporting the regime of Bashar al-Assad and the West supporting opposition groups.

However, the relationship remains tense and uncertain, with ongoing disagreements and occasional incidents that raise tensions.