Russia Vows Revenge, Claims U.S. Denied Visas to Its Journalists

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday said Moscow “won’t forget” and “will not forgive” the United States for allegedly denying visas to several of its journalists hoping to accompany him on a diplomatic trip. “A country that calls itself the strongest, smartest, free and fair country has chickened out and done something stupid,” Lavrov said before departing Moscow for New York, according to the Associated Press. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov echoed his words, threatening, “I emphasize that we will find ways to respond to this, so that the Americans will remember for a long time not to do this.” Lavrov’s journey to New York marks his chairing of several United Nations Security Council meetings, with Russia taking up the presidency of the council this month despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. The U.S. State Department told RadioFreeEurope that it could not immediately comment on the matter due to privacy policies, but said it “takes seriously its obligations as host country of the UN under the UN Headquarters Agreement, including with respect to visa issuance.”