Forwarded from Embassy of Russia in the USA / Посольство России в США
🎖 On May 9, the Russian Embassy in the United States hosted a reception in honor of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War with the participation of Russian and American veterans, ambassadors and senior diplomats from CIS countries, as well as heads of diplomatic missions of a number of BRICS states and other countries friendly to Russia.
🇷🇺🇺🇸 In his speech, Ambassador A.Darchiev noted that in the victorious 1945 the legendary and heroic Red Army, which broke the back of Hitler's war machine, put the final point in the Great Patriotic War in the defeated Berlin, where the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany was accepted. As it was emphasized, shoulder to shoulder with the Red Army, where all peoples of the Soviet Union stood together, fought the armies of the United States and other countries of the anti-Hitler coalition, including heroic China and fraternal Mongolia, which opposed Germany's ally - militaristic Japan.
🥇 The attendees honored with a minute of silence the memory of 27 million Soviet people who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of the Motherland, the liberation of Europe from the absolute evil of Nazism, which is once again raising its head there.
🔹The Russian Ambassador called for the restoration of normal, common sense-based relations between Russia and the United States, which have a special responsibility for maintaining stability and security in the world, based on the experience of combat alliance of our countries during World War II, which for the Soviet people was the Great Patriotic War.
🎹 A concert with the performance of wartime songs was also held. The Embassy staff together with the guests performed the song “Victory Day”.
#Victory80
#VictoryDay
#WeRemember
🇷🇺🇺🇸 In his speech, Ambassador A.Darchiev noted that in the victorious 1945 the legendary and heroic Red Army, which broke the back of Hitler's war machine, put the final point in the Great Patriotic War in the defeated Berlin, where the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany was accepted. As it was emphasized, shoulder to shoulder with the Red Army, where all peoples of the Soviet Union stood together, fought the armies of the United States and other countries of the anti-Hitler coalition, including heroic China and fraternal Mongolia, which opposed Germany's ally - militaristic Japan.
🥇 The attendees honored with a minute of silence the memory of 27 million Soviet people who gave their lives for the freedom and independence of the Motherland, the liberation of Europe from the absolute evil of Nazism, which is once again raising its head there.
🔹The Russian Ambassador called for the restoration of normal, common sense-based relations between Russia and the United States, which have a special responsibility for maintaining stability and security in the world, based on the experience of combat alliance of our countries during World War II, which for the Soviet people was the Great Patriotic War.
🎹 A concert with the performance of wartime songs was also held. The Embassy staff together with the guests performed the song “Victory Day”.
#Victory80
#VictoryDay
#WeRemember
Forwarded from Russia in Canada
📆 On May 9, 2025, the Embassy of Russia in Canada held a solemn floral tribute ceremony at the monument to the Heroes of the Great Patriotic War.
🕯Held as part of the 80th anniversary of Victory, the ceremony honored the memory of all those who fell in the fight against Nazism. Participants observed a moment of silence and laid flowers at the memorial located on the Embassy grounds.
🌍 The event was joined by Ambassador of Armenia Anahit Harutyunyan, Ambassador of Kazakhstan Dauletbek Kussainov, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China Wang Di, and Chargé d’Affaires of Azerbaijan Vasif Abutalibov.
🔴 🔴 Happy Victory Day!
#Victory80 #WeRemember
🕯Held as part of the 80th anniversary of Victory, the ceremony honored the memory of all those who fell in the fight against Nazism. Participants observed a moment of silence and laid flowers at the memorial located on the Embassy grounds.
🌍 The event was joined by Ambassador of Armenia Anahit Harutyunyan, Ambassador of Kazakhstan Dauletbek Kussainov, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China Wang Di, and Chargé d’Affaires of Azerbaijan Vasif Abutalibov.
#Victory80 #WeRemember
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#Announcement
🌐 On June 5–6, Nizhny Novgorod will host the Global Digital Forum.
The Forum is a unique platform for international digital cooperation, built on trust, respect, and equal opportunities for all nations.
The event will bring together representatives of international and regional organisations, governments, companies, academic and scientific communities from 122 countries.
Over 1'500 international guests are expected to attend in person, with an additional 10'000 participants joining online.
Attendees will take part in high-level sessions with top industry leaders, contribute to shaping digital trends, unlock new opportunities for knowledge and partnerships, discover Russia's IT achievements and sign cooperation agreements.
🤝 The Forum’s mission is to identify solutions for bridging the digital divide and strengthen the technological capacities of Global South countries.
It also serves as a platform for sharing Russia’s extensive experience, innovations, and solutions in ICT.
Key agenda topics include:
• Artificial Intelligence
• Digital Literacy
• Combating Disinformation
Governmental experts will also address collaboration across major UN platforms on the global digital agenda, such as the World Summit on the Information Society, the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime, the Open-Ended Working Group on Information Security, and its planned permanent successor mechanism.
👉 Learn more about the Forum
👉 Register to participate
Registration closes on May 15, 2025.
#GDF2025
🌐 On June 5–6, Nizhny Novgorod will host the Global Digital Forum.
The Forum is a unique platform for international digital cooperation, built on trust, respect, and equal opportunities for all nations.
The event will bring together representatives of international and regional organisations, governments, companies, academic and scientific communities from 122 countries.
Over 1'500 international guests are expected to attend in person, with an additional 10'000 participants joining online.
Attendees will take part in high-level sessions with top industry leaders, contribute to shaping digital trends, unlock new opportunities for knowledge and partnerships, discover Russia's IT achievements and sign cooperation agreements.
🤝 The Forum’s mission is to identify solutions for bridging the digital divide and strengthen the technological capacities of Global South countries.
It also serves as a platform for sharing Russia’s extensive experience, innovations, and solutions in ICT.
Key agenda topics include:
• Artificial Intelligence
• Digital Literacy
• Combating Disinformation
Governmental experts will also address collaboration across major UN platforms on the global digital agenda, such as the World Summit on the Information Society, the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime, the Open-Ended Working Group on Information Security, and its planned permanent successor mechanism.
👉 Learn more about the Forum
👉 Register to participate
Registration closes on May 15, 2025.
#GDF2025
🇷🇺🇮🇷 Russian Embassy in Iran:
🇷🇺 On May 9, the Russian Embassy in Iran—the very same building where in 1943 Joseph Stalin succeeded in persuading the Allies to agree on the date for opening the Second Front — hosted a solemn reception marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
The event was attended by high-ranking representatives from Iranian ministries, government agencies, and parliament, as well as ambassadors and military attachés from the overwhelming majority of Tehran’s diplomatic corps.
It was a remarkable evening — a celebration of peace and humanity made possible by the Soviet people’s victory in the bloodiest conflict in human history.
💬 Russia’s Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Iran, Rafael Gevorkyan, addressed the attendees:
#Victory80 #VictoryDay
The event was attended by high-ranking representatives from Iranian ministries, government agencies, and parliament, as well as ambassadors and military attachés from the overwhelming majority of Tehran’s diplomatic corps.
It was a remarkable evening — a celebration of peace and humanity made possible by the Soviet people’s victory in the bloodiest conflict in human history.
💬 Russia’s Chargé d’Affaires ad interim in Iran, Rafael Gevorkyan, addressed the attendees:
Today marks a truly special occasion. We gather to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory over Nazism—a triumph that came at a tremendous cost to the Soviet people.
The Soviet Union sacrificed 27 million lives in this fight.
These were the youngest, the brightest, the bravest among us. Of them, over 13 million were civilians — more than 7 million of whom were starved to death by the occupying forces.
We bow our heads in remembrance of the heroic soldiers who gave their lives to liberate not only their homeland, but the entire world from the evil and hatred of Hitler and his allies.
We honor the workers on the home front—those who toiled day and night in factories and plants, never resting, always believing in victory.
We mourn those who were tortured and killed in captivity, those who perished in horrific concentration camps, and those who died from hunger and freezing cold during the siege of Leningrad.
We are grateful to the Iranian land, which served as a critical transit route for the massive volumes of weapons and equipment supplied to the Soviet Union through Lend-Lease. This will neve be forgotten.
The memory of the Great Victory — and the heroism of the men and women who gave the world its freedom—is eternal.
No matter how fiercely some may try today to erase it or distort the truth, it will endure.
Today, we also pray for our servicemen and women, who are once again facing great evil—this time too, from the Western front.
We have no doubt: another Great Victory awaits them—a victory for the eternal values of freedom, dignity, and compassion.
Happy Victory Day, dear friends!
Let us honor, let us remember, and let us never forget.
#Victory80 #VictoryDay
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🇷🇺🇻🇳 President of Russia Vladimir Putin and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam held talks in Moscow (May 10, 2025)
💬 President Putin: Comrade To Lam,
I am delighted to see you again.
First of all, I would like to thank you once again for deciding to attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Furthermore, Vietnam was represented at the military parade by your country' military unit. Thank you very much for this sign of appreciation.
We always emphasise that Russia and Vietnam are bound by a years-long friendship that dates back not only to the times when Vietnam was fighting for its independence, but also to the Great Patriotic War because — I would like to remind our colleagues and the peoples of our countries — a voluntary corps of the Vietnamese internationalist troops fought in the Battle of Moscow during the Great Patriotic War. Of course, there were major events during Vietnam’s struggle for its own independence. All this strengthened our relations throughout decades.
Today, Russia-Vietnam relations are progressing across all sectors. We maintain regular contact through diplomatic channels. Our government bodies cooperate at the parliamentary level. Last year, our mutual trade grew by 20 percent, which is a good indicator.
This year is full of significant and diverse landmark events: the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s independence, which we discussed yesterday, the 50 years since the liberation of the south, and 75 years of diplomatic relations between our countries. All these milestones are important and highly symbolic for our countries. We will certainly highlight them, but above all, we must continue to look to the future.
As before, we will focus on humanitarian projects, such as personnel training. This has always been an important part of our work. I remember when I met with graduates of Russian universities during my visit to Vietnam, that meeting was so full of warmth. We see that Vietnamese society is very mindful of Russian-Vietnamese relations. We also value this very much.
We are delighted to see you. Welcome.
#RussiaVietnam
💬 President Putin: Comrade To Lam,
I am delighted to see you again.
First of all, I would like to thank you once again for deciding to attend the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Furthermore, Vietnam was represented at the military parade by your country' military unit. Thank you very much for this sign of appreciation.
We always emphasise that Russia and Vietnam are bound by a years-long friendship that dates back not only to the times when Vietnam was fighting for its independence, but also to the Great Patriotic War because — I would like to remind our colleagues and the peoples of our countries — a voluntary corps of the Vietnamese internationalist troops fought in the Battle of Moscow during the Great Patriotic War. Of course, there were major events during Vietnam’s struggle for its own independence. All this strengthened our relations throughout decades.
Today, Russia-Vietnam relations are progressing across all sectors. We maintain regular contact through diplomatic channels. Our government bodies cooperate at the parliamentary level. Last year, our mutual trade grew by 20 percent, which is a good indicator.
This year is full of significant and diverse landmark events: the 80th anniversary of Vietnam’s independence, which we discussed yesterday, the 50 years since the liberation of the south, and 75 years of diplomatic relations between our countries. All these milestones are important and highly symbolic for our countries. We will certainly highlight them, but above all, we must continue to look to the future.
As before, we will focus on humanitarian projects, such as personnel training. This has always been an important part of our work. I remember when I met with graduates of Russian universities during my visit to Vietnam, that meeting was so full of warmth. We see that Vietnamese society is very mindful of Russian-Vietnamese relations. We also value this very much.
We are delighted to see you. Welcome.
#RussiaVietnam
🎗On May 9, Ambassador Albert P. Khorev, Ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, diplomats from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Embassy staff and their family members, as well as compatriots living in Pakistan took part in the “Immortal Regiment” march held at the Embassy of Russia in Islamabad.
#Victory80 #ImmortalRegiment
#Victory80 #ImmortalRegiment
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🇷🇺🇵🇸 President of Russia Vladimir Putin met with President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas (May 10, 2025)
💬 President Putin: Dear friend,
I would like to express my gratitude to you once again for finding the opportunity to come to Russia for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. You are always a welcome guest here.
We had a highly rewarding meeting last October, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan. Earlier, in August, we held full-scale Russia-Palestine talks during your official visit to Moscow.
Russia has always paid special attention to its relations with Palestine. Our nations are linked by a strong bond of friendship, and we follow the tragic development of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which has claimed more than 51,000 lives, with deep empathy and concern. Tensions are also growing in the West Bank. The Gaza Strip is experiencing a humanitarian crisis in the fullest sense of the word.
As a friend of the Palestinian people, Russia is doing its best to provide regular aid: last year, we sent over 800 tonnes of cargo to those in need, including food, medicine, and essential items.
We have always been convinced that lasting peace in the region can only be achieved on a universally recognised international legal basis that provides for the establishment of two states for two peoples.
Russia consistently advocates for providing humanitarian access and resuming the Middle East peace process. Regretfully, the situation is only getting worse. As I have just said, we are talking about a humanitarian crisis, a disaster, which is, of course, aggravated by decisions to ban even humanitarian aid and supplies of essential items and electricity to the Gaza Strip. This causes particular concern.
Unfortunately, the Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement reached earlier this year was sabotaged, and the escalation continues.
We will certainly exchange views on all these issues and discuss what else Russia could do to de-escalate tensions.
We will also focus on current bilateral issues. In December, Moscow hosted a meeting of the Russian-Palestinian Intergovernmental Commission, which set guidelines for our further joint work.
#RussiaPalestine
💬 President Putin: Dear friend,
I would like to express my gratitude to you once again for finding the opportunity to come to Russia for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. You are always a welcome guest here.
We had a highly rewarding meeting last October, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan. Earlier, in August, we held full-scale Russia-Palestine talks during your official visit to Moscow.
Russia has always paid special attention to its relations with Palestine. Our nations are linked by a strong bond of friendship, and we follow the tragic development of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, which has claimed more than 51,000 lives, with deep empathy and concern. Tensions are also growing in the West Bank. The Gaza Strip is experiencing a humanitarian crisis in the fullest sense of the word.
As a friend of the Palestinian people, Russia is doing its best to provide regular aid: last year, we sent over 800 tonnes of cargo to those in need, including food, medicine, and essential items.
We have always been convinced that lasting peace in the region can only be achieved on a universally recognised international legal basis that provides for the establishment of two states for two peoples.
Russia consistently advocates for providing humanitarian access and resuming the Middle East peace process. Regretfully, the situation is only getting worse. As I have just said, we are talking about a humanitarian crisis, a disaster, which is, of course, aggravated by decisions to ban even humanitarian aid and supplies of essential items and electricity to the Gaza Strip. This causes particular concern.
Unfortunately, the Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement reached earlier this year was sabotaged, and the escalation continues.
We will certainly exchange views on all these issues and discuss what else Russia could do to de-escalate tensions.
We will also focus on current bilateral issues. In December, Moscow hosted a meeting of the Russian-Palestinian Intergovernmental Commission, which set guidelines for our further joint work.
#RussiaPalestine
🇷🇺🇻🇳 Press statement by President of Russia Vladimir Putin following Russian-Vietnamese talks (May 10, 2025)
💬 President Putin: I consider the visit of our Vietnamese friends, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Great Victory, as yet another evidence of the time-tested friendship, military comradery and mutual support between our nations. Russia remembers Vietnamese internationalist volunteers who fought heroically alongside Red Army soldiers in the Battle of Moscow in 1941–1942. Last year, a sculpture was erected in the Patriot Park near Moscow to honour their deeds.
In turn, the Soviet Union put significant effort into helping the emerging Vietnamese state to continue its struggle for freedom and independence, contributing to the country’s economic and social progress, infrastructure development, and personnel training. Undeniably, the Soviet Union also made a significant contribution to the liberation of southern Vietnam and the country’s reunification. April 30 marked the 50th anniversary of those important historical events.
This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. Over the years, our bilateral ties have grown stronger, evolving to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and continue to expand in the spirit of equality, mutual respect, and consideration of each other’s interests.
The talks we have just had with Comrade To Lam serve as a clear proof of all this. We substantively discussed Russian-Vietnamese cooperation across all sectors as well as the international agenda in a warm and constructive atmosphere.
As you have seen, an impressive package of documents has been signed following the talks. We have adopted a Joint Declaration, in which we reaffirmed the key principles of our bilateral partnership and mapped out specific guidelines for our further work.
First and foremost, these agreements are aimed at expanding our mutually beneficial economic cooperation. As of the end of last year, Russia-Vietnam trade grew by more than 20 percent, reaching US$6 billion. There is still more to achieve, as back in 2021, our mutual trade was slightly higher than that. But we know what steps are necessary to reach this prior level and go beyond that.
<...>
Naturally, during the talks, we also discussed important issues on the global and regional agendas. I would like to emphasise that Russia’s and Vietnam’s respective stances on these issues largely coincide or are closely aligned.
Our countries firmly uphold and support the rule of international law, the sovereignty of states and non-interference in internal affairs. They coordinate their efforts at key multilateral platforms, including the Russia-ASEAN dialogue, and jointly advocate for the peaceful and sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific region.
🤝 In conclusion, I would like to once again express my gratitude to Comrade To Lam for the productive joint work. Today’s talks will undoubtedly serve to further strengthen the Russian-Vietnamese comprehensive strategic partnership, which benefits both nations.
I already expressed our gratitude to Comrade To Lam for his direct and personal involvement in the development of Russian-Vietnamese ties, and I would like to emphasise this once again.
Since Comrade To Lam became General Secretary, we have seen rapid progress of Russian-Vietnamese relations and cooperation in many fields. Comrade To Lam, we greatly appreciate your contribution.
#RussiaVietnam
💬 President Putin: I consider the visit of our Vietnamese friends, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Great Victory, as yet another evidence of the time-tested friendship, military comradery and mutual support between our nations. Russia remembers Vietnamese internationalist volunteers who fought heroically alongside Red Army soldiers in the Battle of Moscow in 1941–1942. Last year, a sculpture was erected in the Patriot Park near Moscow to honour their deeds.
In turn, the Soviet Union put significant effort into helping the emerging Vietnamese state to continue its struggle for freedom and independence, contributing to the country’s economic and social progress, infrastructure development, and personnel training. Undeniably, the Soviet Union also made a significant contribution to the liberation of southern Vietnam and the country’s reunification. April 30 marked the 50th anniversary of those important historical events.
This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. Over the years, our bilateral ties have grown stronger, evolving to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and continue to expand in the spirit of equality, mutual respect, and consideration of each other’s interests.
The talks we have just had with Comrade To Lam serve as a clear proof of all this. We substantively discussed Russian-Vietnamese cooperation across all sectors as well as the international agenda in a warm and constructive atmosphere.
As you have seen, an impressive package of documents has been signed following the talks. We have adopted a Joint Declaration, in which we reaffirmed the key principles of our bilateral partnership and mapped out specific guidelines for our further work.
First and foremost, these agreements are aimed at expanding our mutually beneficial economic cooperation. As of the end of last year, Russia-Vietnam trade grew by more than 20 percent, reaching US$6 billion. There is still more to achieve, as back in 2021, our mutual trade was slightly higher than that. But we know what steps are necessary to reach this prior level and go beyond that.
<...>
Naturally, during the talks, we also discussed important issues on the global and regional agendas. I would like to emphasise that Russia’s and Vietnam’s respective stances on these issues largely coincide or are closely aligned.
Our countries firmly uphold and support the rule of international law, the sovereignty of states and non-interference in internal affairs. They coordinate their efforts at key multilateral platforms, including the Russia-ASEAN dialogue, and jointly advocate for the peaceful and sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific region.
🤝 In conclusion, I would like to once again express my gratitude to Comrade To Lam for the productive joint work. Today’s talks will undoubtedly serve to further strengthen the Russian-Vietnamese comprehensive strategic partnership, which benefits both nations.
I already expressed our gratitude to Comrade To Lam for his direct and personal involvement in the development of Russian-Vietnamese ties, and I would like to emphasise this once again.
Since Comrade To Lam became General Secretary, we have seen rapid progress of Russian-Vietnamese relations and cooperation in many fields. Comrade To Lam, we greatly appreciate your contribution.
#RussiaVietnam
🇷🇺🇧🇫 President of Russia Vladimir Putin held a meeting with President of Burkina Faso Ibrahim Traore (May 10, 2025)
💬 President Putin: Mr President, friends,
We are delighted to see you. Before we begin, I would like to thank you once again for your decision to take part in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
I remember our constructive and productive conversation when you first visited our country in 2023 to participate in the Russia–Africa Summit in St Petersburg. Your current visit to Russia to attend celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory is deeply symbolic and reflects the friendly nature of the Russia-Burkina Faso relations.
I would also like to mention your country’s contribution to defeating German Nazism and its satellites. About 30,000 people from modern-day Burkina Faso fought as part of the anti-Hitler Coalition, in the Free France formations led by the legendary son of the French people General Charles de Gaulle.
Today, we are united by a common goal of fighting terrorism and extremism. We will continue to help the Republic in restoring the rule of law and constitutional order and to assist in suppressing the radical groups that are still active in certain parts of Burkina Faso.
Over the past two years, we have made significant progress in expanding mutually beneficial cooperation across various areas. In late 2023, after a pause that lasted over 30 years, the Russian Embassy in Ouagadougou resumed its operations. A regular political dialogue was established.
Even though bilateral trade remains modest, it is nonetheless on the rise, which is a promising trend that should, of course, be encouraged. We will work together to further strengthen economic ties and diversify mutual trade.
The Burkina Faso Economic Days in Russia in October 2024, which were attended by a high-ranking Burkinabe delegation headed by the Prime Minister, were beneficial in this regard.
Work is under way to create an intergovernmental commission. A dedicated working group was formed in late 2024.
We will continue to help your country in training national personnel. The Russian government scholarship quota for Burkinabe citizens has been more than doubled for the 2024–2025 academic year. This year, we are prepared to take 27 more students from your country. The tuition will be covered from Russia’s federal budget. In all, about 3,500 students from Burkina Faso received their education in Russia.
Cultural and humanitarian ties have been promoted since 2024 by the Ouagadougou-based Russia House, which offers Russian language classes, among others.
Cooperation in healthcare and sanitation holds a lot of promise. On April 24–25, Ms Popova visited Ouagadougou. We are ready to carry out joint scientific research, develop laboratory infrastructure, and train specialists.
We prioritise humanitarian aid to Burkina Faso as well. Last year, we shipped to your country 25,000 tonnes of wheat free of charge. This month, a large shipment of other foods will arrive in Ouagadougou.
We appreciate close coordination with Burkina Faso in the international arena, including at the United Nations and other international organisations. Consultations between Russia and the Confederation of Sahel States have become a valuable new cooperation format. The first such meeting took place at the level of foreign ministers in Moscow in April.
I think our prospects are good across many areas. We have an opportunity to discuss some of them today.
#RussiaBurkinaFaso
💬 President Putin: Mr President, friends,
We are delighted to see you. Before we begin, I would like to thank you once again for your decision to take part in celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
I remember our constructive and productive conversation when you first visited our country in 2023 to participate in the Russia–Africa Summit in St Petersburg. Your current visit to Russia to attend celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory is deeply symbolic and reflects the friendly nature of the Russia-Burkina Faso relations.
I would also like to mention your country’s contribution to defeating German Nazism and its satellites. About 30,000 people from modern-day Burkina Faso fought as part of the anti-Hitler Coalition, in the Free France formations led by the legendary son of the French people General Charles de Gaulle.
Today, we are united by a common goal of fighting terrorism and extremism. We will continue to help the Republic in restoring the rule of law and constitutional order and to assist in suppressing the radical groups that are still active in certain parts of Burkina Faso.
Over the past two years, we have made significant progress in expanding mutually beneficial cooperation across various areas. In late 2023, after a pause that lasted over 30 years, the Russian Embassy in Ouagadougou resumed its operations. A regular political dialogue was established.
Even though bilateral trade remains modest, it is nonetheless on the rise, which is a promising trend that should, of course, be encouraged. We will work together to further strengthen economic ties and diversify mutual trade.
The Burkina Faso Economic Days in Russia in October 2024, which were attended by a high-ranking Burkinabe delegation headed by the Prime Minister, were beneficial in this regard.
Work is under way to create an intergovernmental commission. A dedicated working group was formed in late 2024.
We will continue to help your country in training national personnel. The Russian government scholarship quota for Burkinabe citizens has been more than doubled for the 2024–2025 academic year. This year, we are prepared to take 27 more students from your country. The tuition will be covered from Russia’s federal budget. In all, about 3,500 students from Burkina Faso received their education in Russia.
Cultural and humanitarian ties have been promoted since 2024 by the Ouagadougou-based Russia House, which offers Russian language classes, among others.
Cooperation in healthcare and sanitation holds a lot of promise. On April 24–25, Ms Popova visited Ouagadougou. We are ready to carry out joint scientific research, develop laboratory infrastructure, and train specialists.
We prioritise humanitarian aid to Burkina Faso as well. Last year, we shipped to your country 25,000 tonnes of wheat free of charge. This month, a large shipment of other foods will arrive in Ouagadougou.
We appreciate close coordination with Burkina Faso in the international arena, including at the United Nations and other international organisations. Consultations between Russia and the Confederation of Sahel States have become a valuable new cooperation format. The first such meeting took place at the level of foreign ministers in Moscow in April.
I think our prospects are good across many areas. We have an opportunity to discuss some of them today.
#RussiaBurkinaFaso