On Sunday, Russia accused the United States of denying visas to journalists who were planning to cover Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s trip to New York. The journalists were expected to report on Lavrov’s appearance at the United Nations, marking Russia’s chairmanship of the Security Council. The U.S. State Department has yet to comment on the claim.
In response to the denied visas, Lavrov stated that Russia will take strong retaliatory measures. He criticized the U.S. for going against its “sworn assurances” of protecting freedom of speech and access to information. Lavrov warned that Russia “will not forget and will not forgive” the U.S.’s actions.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov echoed Lavrov’s sentiments, stating that Russia will find ways to respond so that the Americans will remember not to repeat this action.
This dispute adds to the already high tensions between the U.S. and Russia, stemming from the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich last month. Russia has accused Gershkovich of espionage, while the U.S. has called for his release, declaring that he has been “wrongfully detained.”
The situation is further complicated by the fact that many Western journalists stationed in Moscow left the country following Russia’s incursion into Ukraine. Currently, foreign journalists are required to renew their visas and accreditation every three months, compared to once a year before the conflict began.
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