🇷🇺🇱🇦🇨🇳 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov takes part in a Russia-Laos-China ministerial on the sidelines of #ASEAN events

📍 Vientiane, July 25, 2024

🎙 Foreign Ministry Official Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s answer to a question from Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency on the second-track contacts between Russia and the US on the Ukrainian crisis

❓ Question: Could you share some information about the contacts between Russian and US experts on the Ukraine crisis? The parties did not announce these interactions in the media. At what level are these meetings taking place? Can we expect new contacts in this format in the near future?

💬 Maria Zakharova: When we talk about second-track contacts, we refer to interactions between political experts and other members of academia and researchers. Indeed, there were contacts in this format. They took place in a third country.

The Foreign Ministry receives updates on what is said during this sort of consultations, even if we do not believe these meetings to be advisable at the current stage of the special military operation. The reason is because those representing the US and other unfriendly countries in these meetings are biased against Russia by default.

☝️ The Foreign Ministry does not see any use in these contacts in the current circumstances. However, who are we to direct anyone to restrain communications between Russian political observers and their foreign colleagues? Russia is a free country. However, as far as Russia’s state interests are concerned, taking part in events of this kind rarely brings any added value.

🇷🇺🇨🇳 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi hold talks on the sidelines of #ASEAN events

📍 Vientiane, July 25, 2024

#RussiaChina

🇷🇺🇸🇾 Last night, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin met with President of the Syrian Arab Republic Bashar al-Assad.

💬 Vladimir Putin: I am very glad to see you. We have an opportunity to discuss the entire range of our relations. It has been a long time since we last met. Of course, I would also like to hear your opinion on the situation in the region as a whole. Regrettably, we see that it tends to deteriorate. This directly concerns Syria.

As for our trade and economic ties, there are many questions as well. There are some promising areas, and I hope to be able to discuss this with you as well.

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#RussiaSyria

🗓 On July 26 and 27, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will attend annual ministerial events held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (#ASEAN) in Vientiane. He will take part in foreign ministers’ meetings in the Russia-ASEAN format, as well as within the East Asia Summit (#EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (#ARF).

🌏 ASEAN is currently one of the most successful regional organisations which forms the core of the integration processes in the Asia-Pacific Region. The association has created a solid network of interstate institutions involving the leading world powers, including Russia.

This year, Russia marks 20 years of joining the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (the Bali Treaty). Signed in 1976, it is one of the fundamental documents for ASEAN in terms of ensuring regional peace and stability. Geopolitical tension has been escalating in Asia-Pacific, and against this backdrop our relations with ASEAN serve as an important stabilising factor in the region.

❗️ Russia views ASEAN as one of the key partners in the context of carrying out the initiative to build a Eurasian security architecture as set forth by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

The agenda of the July 26 #RussiaASEAN ministerial meeting covers cooperation matters in all their aspects, including politics, trade and economics, as well as social and cultural affairs within the framework of the five-year Comprehensive Plan of Action to Implement the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Russian Federation Strategic Partnership, as approved by the leaders in 2021.

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📈 In 2023, Russia’s trade with ASEAN countries increased by 14.6 percent to almost $22 billion. Accumulated investment by ASEAN countries in the Russian economy reached $3.5 billion in the first nine months of 2023, while Russia invested a total of $11.5 billion in Southeast Asia.

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Russia has coined a range of #EAS initiatives. They include creating a mechanism of pan-regional cooperation on countering epidemics and restoring economic potential by stimulating tourism. ASEAN has supported our idea of strengthening the resource of civic responsibility by improving cooperation between volunteer movements.

We consider the #ARF as one of the key platforms for discussing topical issues of the regional agenda, developing measures of mutual trust and preventive diplomacy, and boosting non-politicised practical cooperation in security.

During the forum’s 31st session on July 27, we will thoroughly discuss countering new threats and challenges, combating terrorism and transnational crime, disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and ensuring security at sea. We will summarise the results of #RussiaIndonesia co-chairmanship in the Russia-ASEAN Forum on the Safe Use of Information and Communication Technologies in 2022-2024.

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🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s opening remarks at the meeting with Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Lao PDR Saleumxay Kommasith (Vientiane, July 25, 2024)

💬 I would like to thank our Lao and Chinese partners for agreeing to hold today's meeting in a trilateral format. This is an excellent opportunity for us to touch base on a wide range of issues aimed at promoting regional interconnectedness in Eurasia for the benefit of our peoples and all those who live on our continent. Additionally, we hope to discuss ways to address the challenges our countries face in strengthening food, energy and transportation security.

🇷🇺🇨🇳🇱🇦 Our three countries are united by common approaches to creating an extensive cooperation space on the continent, and strengthening cross-border transport, sales, production and logistics mechanisms.

This meeting is taking place on the sidelines of high-level #ASEAN events. The Association is a vital component of the emerging more equitable multipolar world order. ASEAN has been and remains the core of region-wide efforts aimed at ensuring a stable and secure non-bloc development of the Asia-Pacific region.

🤝 We believe that the significant potentials of Russia and China, as well as their participation in such new multilateral associations as #BRICS and the #SCO, can have a positive impact on our interaction with the Association. This will also enhance our cooperation with individual Member States of ASEAN, helping us address global and regional issues based on the comprehensive and interconnected principles of the UN Charter.

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s opening remarks during his meeting with Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China Wang Yi (Vientiane, July 25, 2024)

💬 Our countries focused their agendas on undertaking a comprehensive effort to deliver on their national development goals, and the #RussiaChina strategic cooperation is designed to facilitate these efforts. President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of China Xi Jinping attach great importance to these relations and always keep them on their radar, including by exploring new horizons for our strategic partnership.

In May 2024, Beijing hosted summit talks between them. After that, the two Leaders had a conversation on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Astana, where they outlined the main directions for further strengthening our bilateral cooperation as well as the way we work together on the international stage.

🤝 Russia and China have been working in tandem on building a multipolar world order with better justice for all, guided by the principle of genuine multilateralism. In addition, they have been creating positive vibes within the United Nations and the Group of Twenty, while remaining proactive within #BRICS and the #SCO. There are other important international platforms too, including, of course, #ASEAN and the entire architecture revolving around this association. We share the view that we must do everything to prevent its destruction.

Today, we had a detailed conversation on this matter during our joint meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Lao PDR Saleumxay Kommasith, whose country currently chairs ASEAN.

☝️ We believe in the importance of continuing this dialogue in order to combine our efforts in countering any attempts by extra-regional forces to interfere in Southeast Asian affairs and to contribute to its wellbeing and prosperity.

🎙 Briefing by MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (July 24, 2024)

🔹 FM Sergey Lavrov’s schedule
🔹 Ukrainian crisis
🔹 Situation in Moldova
🔹 Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity
🔹 Pentagon’s updated Arctic strategy
🔹 30th anniversary of the Association of Caribbean States
🔹 Tenth #BRICS Youth Summit
🔹 Paris refuses to accredit certain Russian journalists for covering the Olympic Games
🔹 Preparation for signing a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia
🔹 The use of anti-Russian agenda in domestic political struggle in the US

📰 Read
📺 Watch

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#Ukraine #KievRegimeCrimes

🕯 On July 27, the Donetsk People’s Republic will mark a tragic date, Day of Remembrance for Child Victims of the War, established on July 11, 2022 by an executive order of the Head of the Republic.

• The number of underage children, killed by Kiev-controlled military formations, continues to increase in Donbass and elsewhere. On this day, we also remember innocent victims from the Belgorod, Kursk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, including those killed or wounded by militants of the Kiev regime.

• Unfortunately, it is impossible to bring back the deceased children and to provide closure for their parents and relatives. However, it is necessary to expose their murderers who will be severely punished. Russian investigative agencies will take care of this. There cannot be, nor will there be, any statute of limitations for these barbaric crimes.

#Moldova

⚠️ Reprisals against Moldovan citizens who support ties with Russia and call for expanded bilateral relations in all spheres have already broken all world records in terms of their dynamics in Moldova under the regime of Maia Sandu.

• Despite active official anti-Russia propaganda, most Moldovans do not see Russia as a threat and suggest expanding bilateral relations.

🤝 We completely share this mood. The people of Moldova have always been and still are our friends. I believe that they are well aware of this.

🎙 Statement by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Aleksandr Pankin at the G20 Ministerial Meeting of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty (Rio de Janeiro, July 24, 2024)

💬 We are thankful to the Brazilian Presidency and particularly President Lula for his very timely initiative to launch the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty.

Unfortunately, despite occasional progress in some regions in terms of food access we are still lagging behind in achieving the SDGs for ending poverty and hunger. Figures on hunger and malnutrition cited by United Nations аgencies are gruesome and shocking, especially on some 50 million people, primarily in the Sahel, the Gaza Strip, Afghanistan, Yemen, and Syria, who are at the brink of starvation.

The situation in Gaza remains the most serious, with its population almost entirely underfed.

🌐 The launch of the Alliance will, hopefully, boost the efforts to improve global food security through political mobilization of the international community, sharing experiences and practices, and increasing resource and financial assistance. <...>

We have to note that against this background, the collective West is still pursuing its disinformation campaign and tightening up its clampdown on Russian food and fertilizer supplies to developing countries in need, while seeking to conceal the underlying real causes of the negative trends, namely their own financial, economic and energy blunders and miscalculations.

Rampant sanctions, protectionism and Western interference in supply chains only increase distortions in markets and price volatility.

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Russia continues to fulfill, responsibly and in good-faith, its contractual obligations to export food, fertilizers, energy and other critical products.

We understand how important they are for the social and economic development of countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East, as well as for achieving food security targets and the SDGs.

📈 In 2023, Russia grain exports amounted to 80 million tonnes, including 55 million tonnes of wheat, almost 60% increase on 2022. Russian companies accounted for a quarter of global wheat exports. We aim to boost production in the Russian agricultural sector by at least 25%, and exports – by 50% by 2030 as compared to 2021.

However, illegitimate impediments created by the West for Russian economic operators (trade restrictions, denial of access of Russian ships to European ports, prohibition of insurance and financial transactions) are hampering global food security and slow down progress towards sustainable development.

☝️ Russia acts as a responsible and reliable donor donating – as part of Presidential initiative – tens of thousands of tonnes of Russian fertilizers (seized in European ports) and grain to a large number of African countries, including Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Mali, Somalia, Zimbabwe. We are actively seeking alternative routes to supply Russian food products to the poorest countries.

We overfulfill our commitments under the Food Assistance Convention having donated 50 million US dollars to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) alone in 2023 for food assistance to LDCs and other developing countries.

🇷🇺 We will continue our active efforts together with all our constructive partners in this crucial area for global development.

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🎙 Statement by the Deputy Head of the Delegation of the Russian Federation at the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (Cluster I: Nuclear disarmament)

📍 Geneva, 25 July, 2024

Key talking points:

💬 We have to recognize that general situation has not improved, and, in fact, remains prone to further deterioration. While the international security and strategic stability situation continues to degrade, many delegations persist in their unwillingness to adequately measure their disarmament initiatives against today's realities of the world.

• Russia, for its part, has consistently maintained that it is necessary to rely on the approaches that have no alternative and that have been enshrined in the provisions of the #NPT and the consensus documents of the NPT review process.

❗️ Any further practical results in the reduction of nuclear weapons and ultimately their complete, transparent and verifiable elimination can only be achieved on the basis of a consensus, realistic sequence of actions and carefully calibrated step-by-step approach. Furthermore, this collaboration will need to involve all the States possessing military nuclear capabilities.

• We remain consistently committed to the principle that a nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought, which the N5 States reaffirmed in January 2022 in their joint statement. It is essential that the actions of the three Western States are consistent with this statement in all its entirety, including with the obligation to avoid military confrontations among the nuclear powers and to acknowledge each other’s security interests.

☝️ However, that is what the Western States have failed to do.

• Russia continues to insist that the disarmament issues, including the matters of nuclear disarmament, should be discussed exclusively within the general context of comprehensive strengthening of international security and stability.

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🎙️Комментарий о провокационных видеоматериалах отдельных британских СМИ

Посольство считает достойным осуждения тиражирование отдельными британскими СМИ документальных видеоматериалов, носящих выраженно русофобский характер и нацеленных на поощрение притока западных наемников в зону проведения специальной военной операции (СВО).

❗Какими бы благими псевдогуманитарными мотивами ни прикрывалось участие т.н. «волонтеров» западных стран в конфликте на стороне ВСУ, для нас очевидно, что большинство из них - профессиональные военные и в зону СВО прибыли со своими боевыми задачами. Их романтизация и использование гибели конкретных лиц для эмоционального манипулирования зрителями цинично и равнозначно военной пропаганде.

☝️Призываем британские СМИ остерегаться подобных далеких от профессиональной журналистики методов.

🎙️The Embassy comment on provocative materials in the British media

The Embassy finds it utterly reprehensible that certain British mass media engage in circulating glaringly Russophobic documentary footage aimed at encouraging the influx of Western mercenaries to the Special Military Operation zone.

❗All kinds of allegedly well-intentioned ‘humanitarian’ motives may be used to justify the involvement of Western nationals in the conflict on the side of the Kiev regime. Yet, for us, it is obvious that the majority of them possess a professional military background and have been deployed to accomplish specific battlefield objectives. Romanticising them and using the deaths of particular individuals to emotionally manipulate the audience is cynical and amounts to war propaganda.

☝️We urge the British mass media to refrain from such methods that are beneath the principles of professional journalism.

🇷🇺🇹🇷 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Türkiye Hakan Fidan hold talks on the sidelines of #ASEAN events

📍 Vientiane, July 26, 2024

#RussiaTürkiye

🎙 Comment by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the act of segregation of French authorities and the International Olympic Committee

💬 Another glaring act of segregation has occurred ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris.

Sounkamba Sylla, a dark-skinned French sprinter who professes Islam, has been barred from participating in the opening ceremony. The French Olympic Committee motivated its decision by enforcing a ban on wearing a traditional clothing element during sport events.

☝️ It became evident before the opening ceremony that this international sporting event has strayed far from the goals set by the Olympic movement in Paris over 100 years ago and runs counter to the Olympic spirit in all respects. Previously, Russian and Belarusian athletes were also subject to segregation under far-fetched pretexts. These bans were later extended to Russian media outlets, and now French athletes are also affected by this discriminatory administrative-political regulatory machine.

Once again, the sacred principle of keeping sport separate from politics has been trampled by the "collective West" – this time represented by the French sports administration – in the spirit of the neoliberal dictate. Contrary to statements by French officials about striving for diversity and freedom of expression, dissenters are demonstratively and conspicuously subjected to sanctions.

🙅 Given these circumstances, the Olympics no longer possess the distinctive attributes that allow them to be viewed as open, honest, fair and democratic sporting competitions.

🇷🇺🇮🇳 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and External Affairs Minister of India Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met on the sidelines of #ASEAN events

📍 Vientiane, July 26, 2024

#RussiaIndia #DruzhbaDosti

⚡️ Joint Statement of ASEAN and Russia Foreign Ministers Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Russia’s Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC)

We, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (#ASEAN) and the Russian Federation, met in Vientiane, Lao PDR for the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) 10+1 Session on 26 July 2024 <...>, hereby:

• Reaffirm the significance and essential role of the TAC as the key code of conduct in governing inter-state relations in the region and as a foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability and emphasised the importance to fulfil obligations under the TAC;

• Acknowledge the importance of ASEAN Centrality and unity in the evolving regional architecture in the Asia-Pacific built upon ASEAN-led mechanisms with ASEAN as the driving force, and based on international law and the principles of openness, transparency, inclusivity, mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality, trust and mutual benefit;

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• Deepen cooperation between ASEAN and Russia within the relevant ASEAN-led mechanisms, in particular the East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), as well as platforms such as Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) through active, inclusive, full, equal, effective and constructive participation with a view to enhancing ASEAN Centrality and the effectiveness of these mechanisms;

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• Continue ASEAN-Russia high level dialogue, including discussions on the developments in the Asia-Pacific region;

• Promote cooperation in the political-security, economic, social, technical, scientific and administrative fields;

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• Advance constructive cooperation at the United Nations and its various specialised agencies;

• Promote possible practical cooperation on issues of mutual interest between ASEAN and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) <...>.

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🗓 As part of the ongoing P5 process, a working-level meeting of the five Nuclear Weapon States under the #NPT was held on July 23, 2024 on the margins of the Second session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 NPT Review Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

🇷🇺 Russia
🇨🇳 China
🇬🇧 the UK
🇺🇸 the US
🇫🇷 France

This was the last event in a series of the P5 activities in 2023 and 2024 under the Russian Chair.

🤝 The chairmanship will be soon transferred to the People's Republic of China.