Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of Russia's Federation Council, has declared that Europe has lost its status as a global trend-setter, attributing the continent's decline to the collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent Western expansion efforts.
In an interview with state news agency TASS, Kosachev argued that the post-Soviet era marked the beginning of Western attempts to incorporate former Soviet republics into its sphere of influence, a process he views as having undermined Europe's historical leadership role.
The comments arrive amid escalating diplomatic tensions between Moscow and Brussels.
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently dismissed the European Union as a viable partner for peace negotiations over Ukraine, branding the bloc a "conflict party" and demanding a complete overhaul of the current diplomatic framework.
Kosachev's assessment reinforces the Kremlin's narrative that the West is in a state of strategic retreat, while Europe's influence wanes.
The rhetoric suggests a hardening of Russia's stance toward European institutions, with little prospect for near-term diplomatic thawing on key geopolitical issues.