Russian diplomat sees EU weaponizing human rights issue to put pressure on Moscow

Russian diplomat sees EU weaponizing human rights issue to put pressure on Moscow Maria Zakharova said what struck her most in the EU’s 2025 Annual Human Rights Report was "an excerpt on how the EU describes its own policy toward Russia"MOSCOW, September 7. /TASS/. The European Union labelled its own policy course toward Russia as a "war-time approach" apparently seeking to justify its use of double standards and blatant lies about Russia as it overtly advertises efforts to weaponize the human rights issue in order to put pressure on Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a comment. She said what struck her most in the EU’s 2025 Annual Human Rights Report was "an excerpt on how the EU describes its own policy toward Russia." "In the country report, it was called no less than a 'war-time approach' with which Brussels apparently expects to 'justify' the blatant lies about our country, and its 'double standards', and how the rights of our citizens are violated by the European Union itself," the diplomat noted. "In fact, the EU announced its efforts to weaponize the human rights issue to put pressure on Russia in plain text," she argued. TagsForeign policyMaria ZakharovaBRICS SummitBRICS relevance now clear to everyday people in Russia — deputy foreign ministerAccording to Sergey Ryabkov, the bloc has already become part of the public discourse and an element of everyday lifeRead moreNo state can appropriate the Moon under international law — expertYevgeny Kuznetsov added that states and private operators can, however, create research and technological infrastructure on the Moon, conduct scientific and economic activitiesRead moreRisk of large-scale conflict, NATO’s ‘confession’: SVR statementsSVR Director Sergey Naryshkin noted that NATO was interested in prolonging the Ukrainian conflict to limit Russia’s potentialRead moreTrilateral meeting between leaders of Russia, US, China possible — Deputy Foreign MinisterThe trilateral format with the participation of the leaders of Russia, China and the United States has not been practiced so far, Sergey Ryabkov stated in an interview with TASSRead moreUS working on ‘peace package’ for Ukrainian settlement — KushnerMany people in the United States government, under the President, Vice President, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and many others, are working to try to create it, the American leader's son-in-law notedRead moreFirst round of talks with US envoys ends in KievAccording to Reuters, national security advisers to the British, French, and German leaders have arrived in Kiev to take part in the talksRead moreArmed man attempts to attack Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio — TVThe assailant rushed toward Amy Acton and injured several people at the eventRead moreGerman Chancellor Merz calls CDU defeat in Saxony-Anhalt heaviest in decadesFriedrich Merz emphasized that the results will have consequences not only for the region but for Germany as a whole, and will also affect the international situationRead moreWitkoff says settlement talks in Moscow, Kiev were positiveThe American leader's special envoy noted that his work, together with the US president's son-in-law Jared Kushner, is to "bring the parties together," narrow the gap in problematic positions, and establish communication channelsRead morePutin orders three-day suspension of strikes on Kiev starting at midnight — KremlinThe Ukrainian army would observe a ceasefire from midnight on September 5 through September 8Read moreSCO declaration omits Ukraine conflict, addresses nuclear disarmamentSCO countries voiced "deep concern over developments in the Middle East" and backed a diplomatic settlementRead morePutin may meet Trump at APEC summit in China — Kremlin aideEach of the leaders plans to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Yuri Ushakov saidRead morePutin notes at meeting with US negotiators that situation is difficult to discuss"And we will have to deal with it today", Russian President said in his opening remarks Read moreNorway's military buildup requires Russia take additional measures — KremlinDmitry Peskov said the Russian Defense Ministry, as well as other relevant services, are dealing with thisRead moreUK authorities intercept boat with 140 undocumented migrants in English Channel — TVAccording to the TV channel, the vessel was heading toward the coast of the English county of HampshireRead moreKushner describers meeting with Putin as ‘constructive and substantive’The American leader's son-in-law noted that "many ideas" were discussed with the Russian presidentRead moreKushner refrains from saying is US will toughen pressure on RussiaAccording to US President’s son-in-law, Trump is looking at the Ukrainian conflict through the prism of the "idea of what the best outcome could be and what benefits all people"Read moreAlternative for Germany wins Saxony-Anhalt election with record 43.8%This is the AfD's best-ever result in any German state, doubling its share of the vote from the previous state election five years agoRead morePrime ministers of Russia, DPRK open road bridge across Tumannaya River via video linkThe ceremony marking the completion of construction of the bridge on the border with the DPRK is taking place on MondayRead moreUkraine, US, Europe agree to hold another meeting soon — ZelenskyAccording to Zelensky, US special presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner have actually resumed the negotiating process after their meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and today’s talks in Kiev Read moreRelations between Russia, DPRK at unprecedentedly high level — Russian PMMikhail Mishustin noted that the states are actively cooperating across almost all areasRead moreMedvedev fails to advance to US Open quarterfinalsRussian tennis player has reached the finals of Grand Slam tournaments six times, winning only the 2021 US OpenRead moreIN BRIEF: Production, loading complex in Izmail, patrol boat hit in Russian strikesIn the port of Izmail, a production and loading complex was struck, which was used for unloading military cargo delivered to Kiev by Western countries from vesselsRead moreNumber of polling stations for Russians in the West down by more than 60 — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister clarified that the number of polling stations had decreased due to "a reduction in locations and staffing"Read moreAfrica’s interest in Russian weapons growing every year — arms exporterRosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheyev stressed that African countries are traditional users of Soviet, and now Russian, military productsRead moreDPRK, Russia to strive for new results in cooperation — North Korean premierThe ceremony marking the completion of construction of a road bridge across the Tumannaya River on the border between the two countries took place earlier on MondayRead moreWitkoff, Kushner fly home after their trip to Kiev — airportThe special flight departed at 08:04Read moreRussian forces destroy more than 20 drones over Rostov Region — governorRegional governor Yury Slyusar added that the threat from drones in the region persistsRead moreClosure of consulate in Bonn meant to derail preparations for elections — Russian diplomatAccording to Zakharova, the German authorities have long been hatching plans to close the Russian consulate general and the Russian HouseRead moreRussia takes control of more than 100 sq km of territory in special op over week — expertAndrey Marochko said that Russian forces took control of 15 settlements last weekRead moreRussia could account for over 30% of global uranium supplies by 2040 — FTAccording to the report, Western countries are unable to meet demand due to a lack of investment and delays in issuing permits for the development of new depositsRead moreRussia will not enter into agreements that fail to balance interests — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister noted that Russia has been cheated many times throughout its historyRead moreSome 1,700 Ukrainian troops encircled in Kharkov Region — Russia’s top brassOver the past 24 hours, the enemy lost up to 40 troops, an armored combat vehicle, two pickup trucks and three quadsRead moreFACTBOX: What we know about deadly avalanche in Russia’s Kabardino-BalkariaAccording to the latest reports, 11 people were killedRead moreMoscow places responsibility on Berlin for escalating bilateral relations — Russian MFAGerman Charge d’ Affaires in Moscow Bernd Finke was notified that in response to Berlin’s unfriendly actions, Russia is closing Goethe cultural centers and the consulate general in St. PetersburgRead morePress review: Germany, France and UK boost missile ties as China challenges US in MideastTop stories from the Russian press on Friday, August 4thRead moreThe West is doing everything possible to spoil upcoming elections — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister cited the example of attempts to invent as many pretexts as possible that can then be used to question the fairness of the electionsRead morePreliminary results of German elections humiliate Merz’s ruling party — DmitrievThe AfD's historic win humiliates the narrow-mindedness of the discredited German ruling coalition, Russian Direct Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev saidRead moreTrump supports renaming New Mexico to New AmericaAccording to the US Constitution, the federal government cannot change state namesRead moreIAEA loses access to Iranian nuclear sites due to US, Israel — MFAAccording to Esmaeil Baghaei, attempts by European countries to repeatedly submit the Iranian nuclear dossier for consideration to the UN Security Council contradict their own statements from last fall about reinstating UNSC sanctionsRead moreUkrainian troops use Hornet drone in today’s attack on central DonetskThe Kiev regime attacked a traffic areaRead moreNorth Korea commissions destroyer to become part of its nuclear response systemThe North Korean leader Kim Jong Un boarded the ship before its maiden voyageRead moreDeath toll from shipwreck off northern coast of Cyprus up to 14There were 267 people on boardRead moreUS wants to work with Moscow, Kiev on ‘refreshed’ peace proposal — media"Things may move in a good direction if there's a follow-up by all parties involved," the source told Axios Read morePantsir systems have shot down thousands of targets, including Storm Shadow, ATACMSThe El Alamein International Airshow 2026 will take place from September 8 to 10Read moreWitkoff states 'substantive progress' in Ukraine settlement negotiationsThe US special presidential envoy said it includes scheduling additional trilateral talksRead moreUkrainian troops adopt defensive posture in many sectors of special op — expertAndrey Marochko said that Ukrainian armed formations had practically abandoned the use of heavy armored vehiclesRead moreNorth Korea to reach another milestone in strengthening its navy in eight months — leaderKim Jong Un noted that a strong navy is capable of ensuring "the country’s self-reliance and the protection of its maritime sovereignty"Read moreRussia’s state defense procurement unaffected by arms exports — RosoboronexportThe El Alamein International Airshow 2026 will take place at El Alamein International Airport in Egypt from September 8 to 10Read moreYemeni government forces take control over Hays in Hodeida province — TVAccording to the TV channel, the city has strategic importance for operations on the country’s western coast Read moreWitkoff says ‘a lot of progress’ made at Moscow talks on UkraineNew ideas were heard, US presidential envoy said Read morePutin, Aliyev agree by telephone to intensify Moscow-Baku contactsThe Kremlin press service reported that the heads of state "discussed a number of pressing issues"Read moreKiev loses nearly 9,700 troops in combat over past week — expertThe greatest damage on the enemy was inflicted by fighters of Russia’s Battlegroup Center, Andrey Marochko notedRead moreEx-Pentagon chief anticipates US-Iran standoff to continues for six months moreLeon Panetta noted that there are very few options available to bring this war to an endRead moreRosoboronexport signs contracts worth more than $13 billion in first half of year — CEO"This amount is equal to the figure for the entire year of 2025," Alexander Mikheyev saidRead moreMerz acknowledges his party suffered 'dramatic defeat' in Saxony-Anhalt electionThe Alternative for Germany party pursues the goal of "completely destroying the CDU," and so "no cooperation at all can be maintained" with it, Friedrich Merz saidRead moreProspects for trilateral negotiations on Ukraine, visit of US emissaries: Kremlin briefingDmitry Peskov said that Moscow has no information regarding the results of the contacts between US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner with the Kiev regimeRead moreRussian woman swims across river to flee Myanmar scam centerTourist police officers took her to a local hospital, where she is receiving the necessary assistanceRead moreOther countries to join US in Strait of Hormuz to ensure safe navigation — officialTrade is important for the world and should not be the responsibility of the United States alone, said Energy Secretary Chris WrightRead moreRussian forces strike two Ukrainian army’s logistics centers in Odessa RegionAccording to the ministry, Geran-4 Seeker drones have state-of-the-art electronic guidance system that makes it possible for the drone to independently adjust its trajectory before hitting a targetRead moreGermany accusing Russia without evidence in Leipzig UAV incident — expertNo concrete evidence of Russia's responsibility has been presented, military expert and editor-in-chief of the Italian portal Analisi Difesa, Gianandrea Gaiani, told TASSRead moreRussia’s Northern Fleet frigate conducts training launch of Oniks missile in Barents SeaThe ministry specified that the target was over 300 km away from the shipRead moreOil prices could reach $120 amid escalation in Middle East waters — BloombergIf oil exports from the region return to normal, prices could fall to $80 per barrel, Daan Struyven, co-head of global commodities research at the bank, saidRead moreOne casualty, one wounded in strike on Perm, 306 UAVs: aftermath of attacks against RussiaAt least 27 UAVs were shot down over the Perm region, Governor Dmitry Makhonin saidRead morePutin’s meeting with Witkoff, Kushner shows atmosphere of trust — Kremlin spokesmanKremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov made this statement in an interview with Pavel Zarubin of Vesti Read morePutin’s meeting with US negotiators lasted 3 hours and 10 minutes — Kremlin aideRussian Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov noted that it was substantive, constructive, extremely frank and trustingRead moreUkraine pays more than $4.8 billion to creditors since start of yearUkraine’s national debt continues to break recordsRead moreLavrov comments on West’s attempts to spoil elections and robbery of Russian assetsThe foreign minister stressed that Russia is not prepared to enter into agreements that fail to ensure a balance of interestsRead moreNew trilateral meeting on Ukraine may be announced soon — WitkoffAccording to US presidential envoy, the US delegation is "dug in on finding the solution" and there are all "the ingredients" to find itRead morePutin notes Russian troops’ success in special mil-op during talks with US negotiatorsYury Ushakov said that the Russian side provided clear and comprehensive assessments of the situation regarding the special military operation’s developmentsRead moreRussian forces tighten Ukrainian encirclement in Volchansk — security forcesOver the past week, more than 20 pieces of enemy equipment, including armored vehicles, have been destroyed during attempts to break through the encirclement, security officials addedRead moreRussia not banking on prolonged Strait of Hormuz crisis — envoyBoris Titov said the crisis surrounding the Strait of Hormuz could end just as quickly as it beganRead moreBritish citizens clash with police in Portsmouth over arrival of migrants — newspaperOn September 6, illegal migrants were brought to Portsmouth from a vessel intercepted by UK authorities in the English ChannelRead moreRussia’s Yak-130M aircraft can meet needs of most African countries — arms exporter"The modernized Yak-130M combat trainer, which serves as a light combat aircraft, will be in high demand among delegations from the air forces of African countries," Alexander Mikheyev saidRead moreRussian air defense forces down 4 aerial bombs, 400 Ukrainian drones over past 24 hoursIn addition, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that units of the Ukrainian military lost approximately 1,315 military personnel in the special military operation zone over the past 24 hoursRead moreSaudi Aramco oil facility in Jizan hit in strike — Financial TimesAccording to the sources, the damage is currently being assessedRead morePress review: US may revive Russia-Ukraine talks as Dutch push on frozen assets growsTop stories from the Russian press on Monday, August 7thRead moreUN welcomes any efforts toward talks between Russia, UkraineThus Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary General Farhan Haq commented on the visits by the US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and KievRead moreAfD to push for restoring ties with Russia after state election victorySanctions policy needs to change, Alternative for Germany co-chair Tino Chrupalla saidRead morePutin congratulates Lula on Independence Day highlighting importance of bilateral tiesThe Russian president noted that Russia-Brazil relations are mutually beneficial and continue to develop successfully across various platformsRead moreIranian forces strike US warships with ballistic missiles — IRGCAccording to the statement, the damaged US warships were forced to withdraw from the combat areaRead moreRussia orders closure of German consulate general in St. Petersburg — statementAll its employees should leave the Russian Federation no later than September 18, 2026Read moreTrump says he earns hundreds of billions of dollars from stocks for US, not for himselfThe US leader emphasized that Democrats are criticizing him for thisRead moreNorth Macedonia interested in energy cooperation with Russia — politicianMarjan Dimitriev emphasized that Macedonia needs stable energy supplies at a good priceRead moreJapan closely monitoring US talks with Russia, Ukraine — governmentChief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara pointed out that it is important for Ukraine, Europe, and other relevant countries to work together in unity for peace in UkraineRead moreBSW says it shares common ground with AfD on issues related to Russia, sanctionsAccording to Thomas Schulze, like the AfD, the BSW advocates for "affordable energy"Read moreTrump's approval rating falls to record low — Financial Times pollAccording to the study, only 33% of respondents supported Trump's current political course, compared to 35% a month earlierRead moreUS, Israel must be promptly engaged in discussion on Middle East security — LavrovThis needs to be done before new election cycles begin, the Russian foreign ministry notedRead moreAccusations regarding Leipzig UAV incident incite ‘real war’ — Russian foreign ministerStatements made by Merz about making Germany the leading military power in Europe again, they are being put into practice, Sergey Lavrov saidRead moreWitkof says parties to Ukraine conflict need to make compromisesThe US President's special envoy noted that Moscow and Kyiv need to narrow the differences between them in order to achieve a peaceful settlementRead moreNorway deploys artillery battalion on border with Russia — ambassadorNorway has deployed an artillery battalion consisting of four K9 self-propelled howitzers manufactured by the Republic of Korea, with a firing range of up to 40 km, Nikolay Korchunov saidRead moreZelensky says Ukraine’s major problems are coming winter, budget deficitAccording to Vladimir Zelensky, Ukraine, amongst other things, is facing a serious shortfall in funding for its defense industry, the army, and humanitarian causesRead moreAfD winning parliamentary elections in Saxony-AnhaltThis is the best result the Alternative for Germany has ever achieved in a German state in its entire historyRead moreOPEC+ nations agree to keep production quotas for October at September levelAs follows from the OPEC table, Russia’s quota in October 2026 will stand at 9.949 mln barrels a dayRead moreZelensky wants prolonged conflict to maintain power, enrich himself, says PhilippotThe leader of France's The Patriots party expressed confidence that Paris must stop fueling corruption in UkraineRead moreIndia, China, South Korea interested in training sailors for Northern Sea Route"We have signed the relevant memorandum and expect to begin practical work within six months," Andrey Nikitin saidRead moreMerz admits that German government lacks supportFriedrich Merz also recalled that the previous German government had been "divided from within and run out of steam so quickly" that a change of power had become necessaryRead moreStates with anti-Russian sanctions taking part in EEF underscore its significance — envoyThese countries realize that it's impossible to imagine a world without Russia or the Arctic today, Deputy Prime Minister and plenipotentiary envoy in the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev saidRead moreUS negotiators tell Zelensky they want breakthrough in talks before winter — mediaAccording to the sources, Witkoff and Kushner discussed with Zelensky preparations for continuing the war through the winter Read moreAfD wins Saxony-Anhalt election — regional election commissionThis is the best result the AfD has ever achieved in a German state election, doubling its share of the vote compared to five years agoRead moreSouth Korea, US, Japan conducting Freedom Edge military drillsThe exercises are taking place in several areas and will also involve air forcesRead more