Lammy calls Putin head of ‘mafia state’, compares him to slave owner

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of running a “mafia state” and compared him to a slave owner during his speech at a UN Security Council meeting on September 24.

Lammy, who took over as Britain’s foreign secretary in July 2024, has consistently stressed his country’s support for Ukraine and condemned Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian civilians and violations of international law.

Lammy criticized Putin’s actions regarding the invasion of Ukraine, referring to the days of slavery. He also accused the Russian government of violating international law and claiming that it was defending the so-called Global South.

“Your invasion is in your own interest,” he said, addressing Putin. “Only in your interest. To expand your mafia state into a mafia empire. An empire built on corruption.”

“Mr. President (Putin), I speak not only as a Briton, as a Londoner and as Foreign Minister.”

“But I say to the Russian representative (on the UN Security Council), on the phone as I speak, that I also stand here as a black man whose ancestors were taken from Africa in chains, at gunpoint, to be enslaved, and whose ancestors rose up and fought in a great uprising of the enslaved,” Lammy added.

The British Foreign Secretary said he recognises “imperialism” in the actions of the Russian authorities and that he will “call it out for what it is.”

Lammy made his speech at the UN Security Council as Ukraine continues to seek permission to use Western long-range weapons, including Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles, to strike deep inside Russia.

Storm Shadow missiles are currently only allowed to be used on Ukrainian territory. Ukraine has reportedly used Storm Shadow missiles, with a range of up to 250 kilometers (150 miles), to hit Russian military targets in Crimea, a sovereign Ukrainian territory illegally annexed by Russia.

The Telegraph reported in August, citing anonymous sources, that the UK had privately supported allowing Ukraine to use Storm Shadow missiles in attacks on Russia, but was unwilling to publicly push for such a policy change over fears of a negative US reaction.

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