1 on the United Russia party’s Duma candidate list for the September election, told TASS Director General Andrey Kondrashov in an interview that it's imperative Russia stay independent, free from external influence. Commenting on what Russia’s national interests in the international arena are rooted in, the top diplomat said: "In us being an independent power, and an independent civilization so our borders can be safely protected." "So nobody can even think of trying to advise us on how to live here in Russia. According to Lavrov, as an independent power, Russia is interested in cooperation with the two other major powers, China and India, as equals. "The West is not yet ready for that, and the United States is absolutely not ready for that either," he concluded.