Russian foreign ministry proposes establishing international day to counter russophobia

Russian foreign ministry proposes establishing international day to counter russophobia

The Russian Foreign Ministry, led by spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, has called for the establishment of an international day to combat Russophobia, a move aimed at countering the West's anti-Russian narrative. Zakharova made this proposal during a government-organized event in the Russian city of Solnechnogorsk on July 26, 2025 [1].

Zakharova emphasized that Russophobia is an extremist ideology that kills people both literally and figuratively, and that it has been propagated by the West. She compared the situation to the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust, stating that it is a "great meanness" to honor the victims without acknowledging those who saved them, in this case, the Soviet troops who liberated Auschwitz [3].

In a separate statement, Zakharova criticized the West's role in the Ukraine conflict, asserting that peace talks and settlements have never been on the real agenda of the West. She argued that if the West genuinely wanted peace, it would stop supplying Kyiv with weapons [2].

The proposal for an international day against Russophobia comes amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions and is part of Russia's broader strategy to challenge the West's narrative on its policies and actions. The effectiveness of such a proposal remains to be seen, as it would require international consensus and cooperation to establish and observe.

References:
[1] NAMPA / Sputnik. (2025-07-26). An international day to counter Russophobia should be created as a counterweight to the West's anti-Russian narrative. Retrieved from https://www.nampa.org/text/22695286
[2] Reuters. (2025-07-26). Peace talks and a settlement in Ukraine have never been on the real agenda of the West, says Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman. Retrieved from https://www.marketscreener.com/news/russia-s-zakharova-says-peace-settlement-in-ukraine-has-never-been-on-real-agenda-of-the-west-ce7c5fdbd18dff23
[3] Fakt.bg. (2025-07-26). Zakharova calls for the establishment of an international day against Russophobia. Retrieved from https://fakti.bg/en/world/988873-zakharova-calls-for-the-establishment-of-an-international-day-against-russophobia