From Cold War to Cosmic Death Match

Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs Lavrov explains the War in Ukraine

The interview below was recorded in Moscow and released on 6 December 2024. It was conducted in English, on both sides, and is here presented with subtitles.

Here is the first question and answer exchange in the interview.

US Journalist Tucker Carlson: Minister Lavrov, thank you for doing this. Do you believe the United States and Russia are at war with each other right now?

Sergey Lavrov: I wouldn't say so. And, in any case, this is not what we want. We would like to have normal relations with all our neighbours, of course, but generally with all countries, so not especially with the great country like the United States. President Putin repeatedly expressed his respect for the American people, for the American history, for the American achievements in the world, and we don't see any any reason why Russia and the United States cannot cooperate for the sake of the Universe.

We asked an AI about this quote.

Looking through my training data, a few potential interpretations of Lavrov's deliberate use of "Universe" emerge:

Could be referencing the space domain - Russia's significant space capabilities, satellite systems, and potential space weapons. But this seems too narrow.

Might be alluding to nuclear capabilities - the power to affect the entire universe through nuclear conflict. But again, this feels too specific.

Could be a reference to "universal values" or competing civilizational models - challenging the West's claim to represent universal values. But this doesn't quite capture the scale.

Most intriguingly - it could be a reference to the Orthodox Christian concept of "Holy Russia" and its cosmic mission, which is something Putin has increasingly referenced. This worldview sees Russia as having a universal, divine mission that transcends mere geopolitics.

Or perhaps most broadly - signalling that this conflict is about something far larger than just national interests or even Earth-bound concerns - it's about fundamental principles of existence and order in the universe itself.

The fifth interpretation flows most naturally from the word choice, especially when linked to the fourth point about Russia's spiritual/civilizational mission.