#Outcomes2025

🎙 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement during his annual news conference on the Russian diplomacy outcomes in 2025 (January 20, 2026)

💬 Sergey Lavrov: The events of the first twenty days of 2026 have surpassed everything in terms of intensity that 2025 left behind.

We have witnessed unprecedented events – a blatant armed invasion by the US of Venezuela, resulting in dozens killed and wounded, as well as the seizure and forcible removal of the legitimate President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro together with his spouse. At the same time, we are observing threats directed at Cuba and other countries of the Latin American and Caribbean region.

Of deep concern are the overt and openly declared attempts by external forces to destabilize the political situation in Iran. In particular, one such “political figure” of our time – the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas – recently stated that, by supporting protests, the international community, apparently meaning the EU, is seeking regime change in that country.

I will not even dwell on the aspiration of most Western countries to continue using the Kiev regime for armed confrontation with Russia. The goal of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on us is voiced less frequently now, but by all indications it remains present in the minds and plans of, above all, European leaders.

🇷🇺 Russia will defend its interests consistently – without encroaching on anyone’s legitimate rights, yet without allowing our own legitimate rights to be treated arbitrarily.

As for the theses used by the West with regard to our country in 2025, the “isolation” of Russia – as is obvious to everyone – did not happen, no matter how insistently our ill-wishers spoke of it.

❗️ Our position on Ukraine is that it is necessary to eliminate the root causes of this crisis, which the West for many years deliberately created in order to turn this country into a threat to our security, using it as a bulwark against Russia directly on our borders.

A major event in 2025 was the celebration marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War – the Parade on Red Square and the large number of foreign guests. We value everyone who personally took part in these celebrations or sent a special delegation.

👉 We are interested in contributing to de-escalation in all the hotspots referred to – be it Venezuela, and I would especially highlight the situation around Iran, which must be resolved on the basis of respect and Iran’s right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

We are convinced that, for a long-term settlement in the Middle East, it is finally necessary to implement the UN decision on the establishment of a Palestinian State. This criterion fully retains its relevance in light of the widely discussed Donald Trump's initiative to establish a “Peace Council”.

🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin held an operational meeting with permanent members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (January 21, 2026)

💬 Vladimir Putin: As far as the US “Peace Council” initiative is concerned, we have indeed received a personal message from President Trump inviting us to join a new international structure being established on his initiative.

In this regard, I would like first of all to thank the US President for this proposal.

We have always supported and continue to support any efforts aimed at strengthening international stability.

We also note the contribution of the current US Administration to efforts to find solutions for settling the Ukrainian crisis.

As for our participation in the “Peace Council”, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been instructed to review the documents received, consult our strategic partners on this matter, and only after that will we be able to provide a response to the invitation conveyed to us.

The proposal made to us primarily concerns settlement in the Middle East and the search for possible ways to address the urgent problems facing the Palestinian people and to resolve the acute humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

In this context, I would like to stress the main point. The key issue is that the entire process should contribute to a long-term settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, based on the relevant UN decisions.

Even before we decide on the issue of our participation in the composition and work of the “Peace Council”, taking into account Russia’s special relations with the Palestinian people, we could, I believe, allocate 1 billion US dollars to the “Peace Council” from Russian assets that were frozen under the previous US administration.

By the way, the remaining funds from our assets frozen in the US could also be used for the restoration of territories affected by hostilities after the conclusion of a peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine. This possibility is also being discussed with representatives of the US Administration.

☝️ I plan to discuss all these issues with President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas, as well as with US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are also arriving in Moscow on January 22 to continue the dialogue on Ukrainian settlement.

***

❌ What is happening with Greenland does not concern us at all.

However, we do have experience in resolving similar issues with the US. In 1867, Russia sold Alaska to the United States. If my memory serves me right, the area of Alaska is about 1 million 717 thousand square kilometres, slightly more. The US bought Alaska from us for 7.2 million US dollars.

The area of Greenland is slightly more than, I believe, 2 million 166 thousand square kilometres. That is, the difference is roughly 449-450 thousand square kilometres. If we compare this with the cost of the US acquisition of Alaska, the price for Greenland would be somewhere around 200-250 million US dollars.

If we compare this with gold prices of that period, the figure would probably be closer to one billion. But I think the US could handle that amount as well.

Most importantly, Denmark and the US also have their own experience in this regard. If I am not mistaken, in 1917 Denmark sold, and the US purchased, the Virgin Islands. So such experience also exists.

By the way, Denmark has always treated Greenland as a colony and treated it rather harshly, if not brutally. However, this is a separate issue and is hardly relevant to the current discussion.

👉 In any case, this definitely does not concern us. I think they will sort it out between themselves.

🇷🇺🇵🇸 #RussiaPalestine talks have begun in Moscow – President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas meet in the Kremlin.

📹 © Kremlin.News

#Announcement

⚡️ Russia's Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large on the Kiev Regime’s War Crimes, Rodion Miroshnik, will hold a briefing and present the Annual report on the crimes commited by the Kiev regime in 2025 at the Russian Foreign Ministry's Press centre at 11.00 am MSK on January 30, 2026.

The briefing will be held online.

Accreditation is open until 11.00 am on January 28.

#Outcomes2025

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his annual news conference on the Russian diplomacy outcomes in 2025 (January 20, 2026)

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Speaking of Greenland, this is in fact part of a broader problem linked to the legacy of the colonial era.

From the 13th century, Greenland was essentially a colony of Norway, and later a Danish colony. Only in the mid-20th century was an agreement signed under which it became part of Denmark not as a colony, but as an associated territory. It was associated with the EU.

But, in essence, Greenland is not a natural part of Denmark. That is true, is it not? It was neither a natural part of Norway nor a natural part of Denmark – it was a colonial conquest.

The fact that the population has now become accustomed to this situation and feels comfortable is a different matter. However, the issue of former colonial possessions is becoming ever more acute. According to the UN register, there are currently 17 territories worldwide that are either deprived of sovereignty or are in direct dependence on administering powers.

🇫🇷 France, in defiance of resolutions of the UN General Assembly, continues to retain the island of Mayotte, which, according to all decisions of the UN, forms part of the Comoros.

🇬🇧 Britain continues to hold on to the Falkland Islands (the Malvinas), likewise in violation of numerous UN General Assembly resolutions. The UK also clings to its presence in the Chagos Archipelago of Mauritius.

It is no coincidence that, within the framework of the Group of Friends in Defence of the UN Charter, we adopted an important initiative to launch a campaign at the UN aimed at eliminating all remnants of the colonial era. As I have already said, at our initiative, 14 December will be marked every year at the UN as the International Day Against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations.

As for Greenland specifically, I have noted several quotes. For example, President of Croatia, in my view a very experienced and far-sighted politician, urged US President Donald Trump not to place his interests above the rights of the people of Greenland: “Greenland’s future can be decided exclusively by the people of Greenland“.

👉 Replace “the people of Greenland” with “the people of Crimea”, and much will become clear.

In Crimea, people went to a referendum after the unconstitutional coup in 2014, when the radicals who came to power declared war on the Russian language and sent militants to storm the Supreme Council of Crimea.

In Greenland, the was no such coups. It is simply that, as President Trump said, this territory is important for the security of the US.

❗️ Crimea is no less important for the security of Russia than Greenland is for the US.

When what is happening around Greenland is justified by claims that otherwise it would be seized by Russia or China, there is no evidence to support this. Western economists and political analysts have already refuted such assertions.

In any case, we proceed from the understanding that we have no involvement in this matter. At the same time, we are certainly monitoring this serious geopolitical situation and will draw conclusions once the issue is resolved.

📺 Watch the news conference in full

🎙 Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's answer to a question from Russia Today on the Russian nationals among the crew of the tanker Marinera, who were detained by the US authorities (January 22, 2026)

❓ Question: How can you comment on the situation involving Russian nationals – members of the crew of the oil tanker Marinera – whose release was promised by US President Donald Trump?

💬 Maria Zakharova: A considerable amount of time has passed since the Russian Side received confirmation that, in response to our request, Donald Trump had taken a decision to release two Russian nationals serving as members of the crew of the oil tanker Marinera, detained by US armed forces in international waters of the North Atlantic.

We express bewilderment and disappointment over the prolonged pause in resolving this issue, which is important to us and requires urgent action.

We expect that their release will take place in the very near future, allowing our citizens to return home soon.

Steven Witkoff welcomed at the Kremlin

Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov and Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev are attending the meeting on the Russian side.

Attending on behalf of the United States are entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Affinity Partners Jared Kushner and Commissioner of the US General Services Administration's Federal Acquisition Service Josh Gruenbaum.