🎙 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s opening remarks at the #RussiaASEAN Ministerial Conference

📍 Jakarta, July 13, 2023

💬 I would like to thank Indonesia as the ASEAN Chair for the wonderful organisation of today’s meeting. I would like to convey special thanks to Cambodia and you, Mr. Co-Chairman, for coordinating the Russia-ASEAN dialogue partnership for the past two years. Next year, these functions will be delegated to our Brunei colleagues, and we will continue to deepen our constructive collaboration with them.

The Russian Federation and ASEAN established relations over 30 years ago. Since 2005, the Russia-ASEAN dialogue has had the official status of a well-developed and comprehensive dialogue. This year, we are marking the fifth anniversary of our strategic partnership. I congratulate everyone present here on this significant date. <...>

Efforts to strengthen and expand diverse cooperation in accordance with guidelines set by leaders at the 2021 summit are our common priority. We have already accomplished a lot. For example, contacts between foreign ministries and national security councils are developing intensively.

<...>

Russia and ASEAN countries are united by a firm commitment to forging a more equitable and democratic multipolar international order based on the principles of the UN Charter in their entirety and interdependence.

We consistently advocate efforts to strengthen an ASEAN-centric system that should remain the foundation of the Asia-Pacific region’s security and sustainable development. We know that not everyone likes this; however, we are guided by objective tasks of maintaining peace and stability in this vast region, rather than by anyone’s preferences.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome a representative of East Timor and to congratulate him on the approval in May 2023 of a roadmap for joining the Association. We hope that this will facilitate the country’s more complete integration into the region’s political and economic life.

Read in full

🇷🇺🇺🇸 Comment by the Russian Embassy in the United States

☝️We have noted a Pentagon's announcement that cluster munitions have been delivered to Ukraine. We have also taken note of statements by the Administration’s officials about some "promises", given by the Kiev regime to use these weapons with "the highest incentive to limits" and in "appropriate places".

👉 Such statements by U.S. officials are a clumsy attempt to justify their own provocative actions. Anyone who follows the conflict knows that Kiev has been using U.S. security assistance to hit civilian targets in the hope of intimidating us and "killing as many Russians as possible". The strikes have been carried out against residential areas where there are no military facilities whatsoever.

📌 It is hard to imagine how many civilian casualties there will be, including Ukrainians, when the Kiev criminals start using U.S. cluster munitions. There is no doubt that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will not abide by any "restrictions" in selecting their targets since they are desperate due to the colossal losses as well as inability to achieve successes on the front.

🇷🇺🇮🇩 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey #Lavrov was received by President of Indonesia Joko Widodo

📍 Jakarta, July 14

#RussiaIndonesia

🤝 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in the East Asia Summit Ministerial Meeting

📍 Jakarta, July 14

#RussiaEAS

🇷🇺🇰🇭 #Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey #Lavrov and Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit Ministerial Meeting

📍 Jakarta, July 14

#RussiaCambodia

🇷🇺🇧🇳 On July 13, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Brunei Darussalam Erywan Yusof on the sidelines of the events initiated by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

🤝 The traditionally constructive discussion that followed covered current issues relating to cooperation between Russia and Brunei, and their interaction in international affairs. The two Ministers reaffirmed the mutual commitment to continue to promote the strategic partnership between Russia and #ASEAN.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement and answers to media questions following the Russia-ASEAN Conference

📍 Jakarta, July 13, 2023

#RussiaASEAN meeting

💬 We have held the annual Ministerial Meeting between Russia and ASEAN Member Countries once again. The meeting involved the Secretary-General of this organisation. We prioritised such aspects as high technologies, digitalisation and smart cities. We had a separate discussion of our collaboration on countering new challenges and threats. Cooperation between #ASEAN and the Eurasian Economic Union (#EAEU) is another issue.

We are expecting ASEAN representatives at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in September 2023. We have drafted specific plans aiming to expand practical cooperation in various fields and in the interests of all participants.

On #NATO policy in the Asia-Pacific region

💬 It is true that the ASEAN approaches are now going through a serious test because of the desire of the US and its allies to replace the ASEAN-centric security architecture in the Asia-Pacific region, which took shape over decades and suited everyone until recently, with their “Indo-Pacific strategies” and NATO expansion in this region.

Japan and South Korea already told that they are willing to deploy American nuclear weapons on their territory or to acquire their own. This is a seriously dangerous trend.

#JCPOA

💬 I am not very optimistic about the prospects of resuming the JCPOA. Another point is that, along with this stalled and withered process, the Iranians and the Americans are engaged in unofficial and direct contact below the radar on normalising their relations by unblocking Iran’s seized foreign reserves in exchange for deciding the fate of certain US citizens who were charged with breaking the law in Iran.

We will only welcome any improvement in these relations. Once again, this has little to do with the JCPOA.

Read in full

🗓 On July 13, Jakarta hosted Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s annual meeting with the Foreign Ministers of member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (#ASEAN).

The event marked the fifth anniversary of the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership. The participants reviewed the implementation of decisions adopted by the leaders of Russia and the 10 ASEAN countries at the 2021 summit. The agenda included issues of deepening political, socioeconomic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation still further.

🤝 The Sides discussed practical measures to expand collaboration in combating terrorism and transnational crime, including drug trafficking, and efforts to facilitate the safe use of information and communication technologies. They agreed to finalise the relevant mid-term working programmes in the near future.

The Ministers exchanged opinions on the topical international agenda, and this discussion highlighted similar #RussiaASEAN approaches towards the most pressing global and regional issues.

📃 Following the conference, the participants adopted a joint statement on the fifth anniversary of the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership.

Read in full

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s greetings to hosts and participants of a solemn ceremony dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Umberto Nobile expedition’s rescue by the icebreaker Krasin

💬 Greeting to the hosts and participants of the solemn ceremony dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the rescue of Umberto Nobile’s Arctic expedition by the Soviet icebreaker Krasin.

This heroic event in Russian-Italian relations is an excellent example of international humanitarian cooperation and selfless help and solidarity.

In this regard, I would like to express my gratitude to the staff of the St Petersburg-based World Ocean Museum branch - Icebreaker Krasin - for their efforts to keep the memory of the rescue operation to save Airship Italia’s crew. Today, when the West’s attempts to cancel everything that is connected with our country, its culture and people are multiplying, your work to promote the historical truth is particularly important.

The glorious deeds of the Krasin crew were not limited to evacuation of the surviving members of Nobile’s expedition. On the way back, the legendary ship freed the German steamer Monte Servantes which was stuck in a field of ice floes with almost 2,000 passengers on board. This once again shows that the values of humanity know no national boundaries.

☝️ I am convinced that your meeting will help popularise the immortal feat of our polar explorers and stir even more interest in national history, including among the younger people.

❗️The Russian Foreign Ministry has gathered data and facts exposing the mechanisms for how private military companies in the United States, the United Kingdom and France are regulated and managed.

The United States, the United Kingdom and France actively deploy their private military companies abroad. Technically speaking, these companies have the status of commercial entities that provide security and defence services. In reality, these companies consist of mercenaries with rich experience in conducting combat operations on the territory of various states.

For example, it is common knowledge that:

▪️ at least four major US companies (Academi, DynCorp International, Cubic Corporation and Forward Observations Group) assist the Armed Forces of Ukraine;

▪️ Prevail Partners from the UK provides Ukrainian special services with intelligence data, including personal data of foreign and Russian citizens;

▪️ French PMCs offer to train service personnel for the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of Eastern European states, and they recruit volunteers to fight for the Kiev regime.

Read our materials for more details:

👉 The United States
👉 The United Kingdom
👉 France

❗️ Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s response to a question from The International Affairs magazine on the activity of private military companies in the United States, Great Britain and France

❓ Question: Private military companies operating in different countries have been a widely discussed issue lately. American, British and French private military companies are mentioned most often. Does Russia have any information about this? What would be your comment?

💬 Indeed, with every year, private military companies are more actively involved in many armed conflicts around the world. The Russian Foreign Ministry systematically collects and analyses related information and the results of this analysis can be found on the ministry’s website.

It is a well-known fact that the United States, Great Britain and France are actively using private military companies abroad. Technically speaking, these companies have the status of commercial entities that provide security and defence services, but in reality, they consist of mercenaries with a wealth of experience in combat operations on the territory of various states.

Therefore, effectively, the reality significantly diverges from the declared noble goals of private military companies. <...> The ambiguous status of private military companies under international law, their non-transparent funding and other factors only add fuel to the fire.

Recently, foreign private military companies have been most active in the zone of Russia’s special military operation. Their involvement in Ukrainian neo-Nazis’ crimes is beyond doubt. Moreover, private military companies offer their services for training service personnel for the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the territory of Eastern European countries.

⚠️ I would like to remind foreigners fighting on the Kiev regime’s side and the national governments covering them that Western mercenaries in the special military operation zone are legitimate targets for our troops and these targets are hit regularly and successfully.

#HistoryOfDiplomacy

🗓 On July 14, 1700, Tsardom of Russia and the Ottoman Empire signed the Treaty of Constantinople that concluded the Russia-Türkiye War of 1686-1700. The war started after Russia joined the defensive European anti-Türkiye Holy League comprising Austria, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Venice.

✍🏻 The Treaty formalised the results of the Azov campaigns that allowed the Russian Army to seize Azov. The Russian regular Army and Navy thus achieved their first major victory with Peter I at the helm. The Treaty guaranteed the Ottoman Empire’s neutrality during the Great Northern War.

🌊 Russian ambassadors sailed to Constantinople for the signing ceremony aboard a Russian warship. Peter I found it important to project Russian naval power in the Black Sea and to show that Russia had become a maritime power.

The treaty had a duration of 30 years, but Türkiye denounced it ten years later, in 1710. Sultan Ahmed III who had gained power in the Ottoman Empire did not honour its neutrality agreements in Russia’s war against Sweden and granted asylum to King of Sweden Charles XII whose army, as well as that of traitor and perjurer Hetman Ivan Mazepa (who had violated his oath of allegiance), suffered a crushing defeat during the Battle of Poltava.