⚡ Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answers to media questions (Moscow, May 23, 2025)

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💬 Sergey Lavrov: From May 20 until 8:00 am on May 23, the Ukrainian side launched a record number of combat drones - 788 in total - against civilian targets and civilians in Russia. All attacks were repelled, though, regrettably, there are fatalities and injuries. The Foreign Ministry issued a special statement to this effect, which is being widely circulated among governments and international organisations.

We believe these attacks are a direct result of the support provided to Ukrainian Nazis, primarily by a number of European countries, led by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the EU leadership. We are convinced that they bear a portion of responsibility for these crimes. We will push to bring an end to this policy.

We are witnessing a clear attempt to derail peace talks and disrupt the process that began in Istanbul following an agreement between President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump which included a 1,000 for 1,000 prisoner exchange and further work on documents setting out specific conditions and requirements that are necessary to reach an agreement.

We will continue working on that despite provocations.

❓Question: Does Russia remain committed to a peaceful settlement?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Yes, we remain committed to a peaceful resolution. We remain open to talks. President Putin has confirmed this many times publicly and in his conversations with foreign leaders. <...> We are finalising preparations for the 1,000 for 1,000 prisoner exchange.

We are also working hard on the second part of the agreement, which involves each party preparing a draft document outlining the terms for achieving a durable, lasting, and comprehensive resolution. Once the prisoner exchange is completed, we will be ready to present our draft to the Ukrainian side. The Russian side is in the process of finalising this document.

❓Question: You mentioned that international organisations would be informed about the Foreign Ministry statement. How do you expect them to react?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: <...> We look forward to a response from the UN. So far, statements made by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his official representatives for as long as the special military operation has been underway suggest reluctance - or inability - to carry out their basic duties, especially those relating to upholding the principles of the UN Charter.

❓Question: In the past few weeks, numerous EU leaders and officials visited Kiev, including Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, Friedrich Merz, and Kaja Kallas, among others. Following their visits, there was a noticeable surge in terrorist attacks carried out by Kiev. Do you believe there’s a link? Should Zelensky’s foreign backers bear a portion of responsibility for killing civilians?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: I believe the connection is undeniable.

Those sustaining the Kiev regime, including the figures you mentioned, don’t conceal their role. <...> There certainly is a degree of European responsibility involved. I think that when the conflict is finally resolved, and its outcomes are assessed, it will be difficult for those backing Kiev to avoid accountability.

❓Question: Do you believe that the Western European leaders you mentioned are deliberately trying to thwart President Trump’s mediation efforts in the Ukraine conflict? Could jealousy be a factor?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: <...> Their actions is that they still hope to use some people from the US establishment to bring President Trump and his administration back into an anti-Russia camp and share responsibility or even shift the blame. But I believe they won’t succeed this time.

⚡ Foreign Ministry statement on Kiev’s latest drone attack targeting Russian civilians (May 23, 2025)

The Kiev regime is relentless in its terror attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure in numerous Russian regions, including Moscow.

According to the Defence Ministry, from May 20 to 8 am on May 23, the number of aerial attacks amounted to multiples of what it used to be with 788 strikes by fixed-wing UAVs and Western-made missiles targeting Russian territory outside the area of the special military operation. Our air defence forces destroyed 776 drones and missiles, though unfortunately, 12 UAVs made it through our defences and hit their targets.

Casualties have been reported. On May 22, an attack on the village of Panteleymonovka, the Donetsk People’s Republic, wounded eight people. On the same day, a drone strike in the Vasilyevsky Municipal District, Zaporozhye Region, killed a woman born in 1990 and injured four children aged 10, 9, 8, and 1.

On the night of May 23, a downed UAV triggered fire in an industrial zone of Yelets, Lipetsk Region, injuring eight people. Additionally, the Ukrainian forces launched two HIMARS missiles on civilian targets in the city of Lgov, Kursk Region, also resulting in casualties, including two children.

Notably, even after the Ukrainian forces had been ousted from the Kursk Region, they keep trying to infiltrate our territory and launch drone, long-range artillery, and missile attacks.

Under these circumstances, the President was compelled to make a decision on establishing a security buffer zone on adjacent territory in order to minimise the ability of the Ukrainian forces to infiltrate and to attack our border regions using various munitions.

The latest barbaric terrorist attacks by the Kiev regime were carried out in an attempt to thwart direct Russia-Ukraine talks facilitated by the US Administration, which are designed to settle the conflict definitively. They also appear intended to derail the implementation of initial agreements reached in Istanbul on May 16, including a massive prisoner exchange.

These attacks are part of the strategy pursued by Ukraine’s party of war, which also includes violations of energy and Easter ceasefires that Russia has strictly observed, as well as the unilateral ceasefire declared by us during the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory celebrations.

Without a doubt, Russia will deliver a matching response to barrages of terrorist attacks carried out by the Kiev regime.

Unlike the Ukrainian side, our targets will be strictly limited to military facilities and defence industry plants.

☝️ To reiterate, our fundamental commitment to a constructive search for a peaceful settlement through dialogue remains unchanged.

📆 24 мая в России и за её пределами торжественно отмечается День славянской письменности и культуры. Этот праздник посвящён памяти святых равноапостольных братьев Мефодия и Кирилла, выдающихся просветителей славян. Кирилл и Мефодий почитаются как создатели первой славянской азбуки, а их подвижническая деятельность заложила фундамент для развития славянской, в том числе русской, письменности и литературы.

В России этот праздник впервые отмечался в 1863 году — в год тысячелетия создания славянской азбуки братьями-просветителями. Тогда же Святейший Синод постановил ежегодно чтить их память. В Советском Союзе идея возрождения праздника возникла в 1986 году, а в 1991 году он обрёл статус государственного.

🌍 Славянские языки обладают богатой тысячелетней историей и сложной географией распространения. Сегодня на языках славянской группы говорят более 400 миллионов человек по всему миру, по разным подсчётам в эту группу входят от десяти до восемнадцати языков, из которых наиболее распространённым является русский язык.

🎙 М.В.Захарова:
Этот праздник широко отмечается и в нашей стране, и за рубежом. Он напоминает нам об общих истоках славянских языков, является ярким свидетельством неразрывной исторической связи и культурного единства славянских народов.

(из брифинга официального представителя МИД России от 20 мая 2025 года)

💬 М.В.Захарова: 24 мая в России традиционно отмечается День славянской письменности и культуры – символ духовного родства и близости национальных традиций славянских народов. Он приурочен ко Дню памяти великих просветителей Кирилла и Мефодия, заложивших фундамент славянской письменности.

В нашей стране пройдут многочисленные мероприятия, центральным из которых станет всероссийский праздничный концерт в Москве с участием выдающихся российских исполнителей и музыкальных коллективов.

С приветственным словом выступит Святейший Патриарх Московский и всея Руси Кирилл (о литургии в День памяти равноапостольных Мефодия и Кирилла в Храме Христа Спасителя)

Проведение торжеств содействует межгосударственному и межконфессиональному диалогу, воспитанию уважительного отношения к родным языкам и культуре, укреплению фундаментальных нравственных ценностей и имеет особое значение в контексте 80-летия Победы.

Этот праздник широко отмечается и в нашей стране, и за рубежом. Он напоминает нам об общих истоках славянских языков, является ярким свидетельством неразрывной исторической связи и культурного единства славянских народов.

(из брифинга официального представителя МИД России М.В.Захаровой от 20 мая 2025 года)

🎙 Выступление и ответы на вопросы Министра иностранных дел Российской Федерации С.В.Лаврова на посольской конференции «Исторические русские земли. Национальная идентичность и самоопределение народов» (Москва, 23 мая 2025 года)

Основные тезисы:

• Фальсификация истории появилась не сегодня. На протяжении многих лет наши недоброжелатели занимались этим с целью поссорить российские народы, достигнуть своих корыстных интересов, помешать сотрудничеству на постсоветском пространстве.

• Когда снесли памятник основательнице Одессы Императрице Екатерине Великой, а через неделю после этого ЮНЕСКО приняла решение о том, что исторический центр Одессы является всемирным культурным достоянием, то больше опозорить эту некогда уважаемую организацию <...> было бы невозможно.

• Южнорусские земли и вся территория современной Украины всегда были в числе наиболее развитых, процветающих регионов Российской Империи и СССР. Уроженцы этих земель – и в досоветские, и советские времена – неизменно занимали высокие государственные посты.

• В 1929 году в Вене была создана та самая печальная Организация украинских националистов, ставшая матрицей для большинства украинских националистических партий и организаций 1990–2000 годах. <...> Бандера, Шухевич объявлены чуть ли не основателями современной украинской нации.

• Когда состоялся антиконституционный государственный переворот при открытой поддержке Соединённых Штатов и при попустительстве Европейского союза, Украина окончательно превратилась в военно-политический плацдарм Запада у наших границ.

• До чего её довели пришедшие к власти после распада СССР «элиты», развязавшие в 2014 году братоубийственную войну в Донбассе, можете сами судить. Статистика известна, и что из себя представляет экономика Украины тоже.

• Сегодня много говорится о национальной идентичности, самоопределении. <...> В своих беседах с А.Гутеррешем призываю его не забывать о том, что Устав Организации не ограничивается одной строчкой про территориальную целостность.

• Декларация о принципах международного права, касающихся дружественных отношений и сотрудничества между государствами в соответствии с Уставом ООН. Это большой документ. Он был консенсусный в отличие от тех резолюций, которые нынешний киевский режим при поддержке Запада «пропихивает» голосованием, и на которые ссылается А.Гутерреш, оправдывая свою позицию, которая полностью поддерживает украинский режим.

• Посмотрите, как изменилась позиция самих украинцев, украинского руководства и Запада. До недавнего времени они заявляли, дескать, никаких переговоров, никакого перемирия. <...> Когда они стали понимать, что изменение ситуации на линии боевого соприкосновения далеко не в пользу киевского режима, стали звучать новые нотки: против остановки боевых действий и против начала переговоров.

• Что касается нашей позиции, то она отталкивается от очевидного, что евроатлантические модели безопасности себя не оправдали. Это – прежде всего ОБСЕ. Также глубокий кризис мы наблюдаем и в НАТО. Евросоюз практически стал придатком в военно-политическом смысле.

• Евразия – это самый большой, богатый и многочисленный континент, родина многих великих цивилизаций. Это континент, где много интеграционных структур, но общеконтинентальной, «зонтичной» структуры нет и никогда не было. <...> Идя от жизни, мы видим перспективы в том, чтобы налаживать между существующими интеграционными объединениями рабочие связи.

• Когда по предложению американцев мы с помощником Президента Российской Федерации Ю.В.Ушаковым встречались с Госсекретарем США М.Рубио и тогдашним советником по нацбезопасности М.Уолтцем в Эр-Рияде, зафиксировали чёткое общее понимание с обеих сторон, что в основе внешней политики в нормальных странах должны лежать национальные интересы. Это позиция Президента США Д.Трампа, это позиция Президента России В.В.Путина.

• Мы вообще ни с кем ссориться не хотим. Но хотим работать по-честному. <...> Не считаем нужным ломать международно-правовую основу мироустройства в виде Устава ООН. Но его надо уважать во всей полноте. #НашиПравилаУставООН

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🗓 On 24 May, Russia and many other countries mark the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture — a solemn tribute to the origins of an alphabet that has not only shaped nations, but also given voice to the profound and enduring literary traditions of the Slavic world.

The date coincides with the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius, two Byzantine brothers who devised the first Slavic alphabet in 863. Their pioneering efforts enabled entire peoples to access sacred texts in their own tongue and played a pivotal role in the Christianisation of Eastern Europe.

Today the Slavic linguistic family stretches across Eurasia, spanning over 400 million speakers. At its core stands Russian. It ranks among the world's ten most spoken languages and holds global significance as one of the six official languages of the United Nations.

But beyond its geopolitical stature, Russian is a literary colossus. It is the language of Pushkin, founder of modern Russian literature; of Tolstoy, whose moral epics reshaped the novel; and of Dostoevsky, whose psychological depth remains timeless. It carries the precision of Chekhov, the stark realism of Sholokhov, the philosophical weight of Platonov and the surreal brilliance of Bulgakov.

This day is a celebration of shared heritage and a reminder that language is more than words: it is memory, identity and the enduring vessel of human thought.

🎙️Комментарий Посольства России в Норвегии для РИА Новости (23 мая 2025 г.)

❓Глава МИД Норвегии Эспен Барт Эйде заявил в интервью Euractiv, что Норвегия заинтересована в увеличении военного присутствия НАТО на своей территории и проведении большего числа военных учений. Он также рассказал об увеличении активности альянса в арктическом регионе в ближайшее время. Как российская сторона расценивает подобные заявления? Какую угрозу несет расширение присутствия альянса в Норвегии, а также активности НАТО в Арктике?

💬 Ответ: Все более явное подтягивание ВС стран НАТО на норвежский Север и в арктический регион происходит под аккомпанемент пустых заверений Осло в его якобы сохраняющейся заинтересованности в поддержании региональной стабильности, избежании недопониманий и непреднамеренной эскалации. При этом между Россией и Североатлантическим альянсом отсутствуют эффективные меры доверия и каналы коммуникации по военной линии, что существенно увеличивает вероятность опасных инцидентов.

👆 Уверены, что интенсивная милитаризация и «натоизация» северных регионов Норвегии не приведет к укреплению их безопасности, а напротив, лишь повысит уровень военно-политической напряженности и эскалационные риски в Арктике.

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🎙️Kommentar fra Russlands ambassade i Norge til nyhetsbyrået “RIA Novosti” (23. mai 2025)

❓Norges utenriksminister Espen Barth Eide uttalte i et intervju med Euractiv at Norge er interessert i å øke NATOs militære tilstedeværelse på sitt territorium og gjennomføre flere militære øvelser. Han snakket også om økt aktivitet fra alliansen i Arktis i nærmeste fremtid. Hvordan vurderer den russiske siden slike uttalelser? Hvilken trussel utgjør utvidelsen av alliansens tilstedeværelse i Norge, samt NATOs aktivitet i Arktis?

💬 Svar: Den stadig tydeligere opptrappingen av NATO-landenes væpnede styrker i det norske nord og i Arktis skjer på bakgrunn av tomme løfter fra Oslo om at de angivelig fortsatt er interessert i å opprettholde regional stabilitet, unngå misforståelser og utilsiktet eskalering. Samtidig mangler det effektive tillitsskapende tiltak og kommunikasjonskanaler på det militære området mellom Russland og NATO, noe som øker risikoen for farlige hendelser betydelig.

👆 Vi er overbevist om at intensiv militarisering og «NATOisering» av norske nordområder ikke vil føre til økt sikkerhet, men tvert imot bare vil øke den militærpolitiske spenningen og risikoen for eskalering i Arktis.

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🌍 May 25 is African Liberation Day or #AfricaDay.

On this day in 1963, the first conference of 32 independent African states took place in Addis Ababa, marking the birth of the Organisation of African Unity — the predecessor of today's African Union (since 2002).

This was how the first stage in the decolonisation process on the African continent reached its culminating point.

👉 Read our feature article on Africa Day

Long before arrival of Europeans, African societies had well-developed, self-sufficient economic and social systems, as well as their own forms of governance.

Everything changed during the Age of Discovery, when the Portuguese and Spanish were the first to establish trade routes along Africa’s west coast in the 15th century.

⛓ The main tool for generating maximum returns was the slave trade, which began in the 7th and 6th centuries BC and brought about a boom with the discovery of the New World, when colonisers needed free labour.

Apart from the slave trade, the colonisers (Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Belgium) ruthlessly exploited natural resources. They exported Africa's gold, ivory and other valuable goods.

According to official UN data, approximately 17 million individuals were forcibly taken from Africa (and reached their destination) throughout the history of the slave trade. At least as many died in transit. Some researchers estimate the total number of lives lost to be close to 50 million people... At the same time, Africa’s economic potential was severely damaged, $777 trillions were extracted by the colonial powers.

With the outbreak of World War II, Africa found itself at the centre of global change, sparking the emergence and strengthening of national liberation movements across the continent.

After years of struggle, Ghana became the first African country to gain independence in 1957, inspiring other nations and national liberation movements.

The Soviet Union was proactive in assisting African states in their struggle for independence and in helping establish these young nations.

📃 It was the Soviet Union that initiated the adoption of the 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, which proclaimed the need to end colonialism and discrimination in all its forms.

In fact, the USSR helped build 37 African economies by signing bilateral economic and technical cooperation agreements with them. Soviet military advisors and experts worked in Angola, Ethiopia, Egypt, Mozambique and several other African countries at different times.

Today, Africa is the fastest-growing macro-region on the planet. African countries are experiencing explosive economic growth. According to projections, by 2050, Africans will make up around 40% of the world’s population.

💬 Maria Zakharova:

"During the Soviet era, our country made a substantial contribution to liberating African nations from colonial dependence, selflessly and consistently assisting the continent’s young states in strengthening their sovereignty, developing their economies and training local personnel.

Today, our relations are moving along an upward trajectory. Building a truly strategic partnership with Africa is one of Russia’s foreign policy priorities."

(From Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s briefing on May 20, 2025)

☝️ African Liberation Day is an important symbol of solidarity and unity for all African nations. It commemorates the long and arduous path that Africans have travelled in the struggle for their independence and the right to self-determination.

Unfortunately, Western powers not only continue to exploit the African nations by siphoning off their resources and helping their corporations earn hefty profits, but also seek to erase or rewrite their own unsightly record there.

The descendants of colonisers are trying to pretend that they have nothing to do with the suffering many generations of Africans have had to endure, including racism, slave trade and punitive operations.

❗️ But Africa remembers it all.

#AfricaDay

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the 33rd Assembly of the Council for Foreign and Defence Policy (CFDP) (May 24, 2025)

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Thank you for giving me yet another opportunity to deliver a report to this audience.

Although I am a CFDP member myself, it is not everyone that is invited to make reports here. I had a chance to look through the materials drawn up by many CFDP members, including those who are now present here, over the past few months, documents distributed as part of the package for today’s meeting. I can say that many things echo the ideas current at the Foreign Ministry. But there are certain things that provide valuable tips, at least with regard to the focus areas that we will have to concentrate our thinking on in the future.

☝️ We value the contributions being made by the expert community and CFDP members. Many of them are regular participants in various talk shows. This is useful. Russian foreign policy can only benefit from this analytical support. Let me repeat that I derive much interest from perusing all your materials that we receive throughout the year, even outside the framework of preparations for upcoming sessions. Thank you very much for this.

Today’s event is ennoscriptd The Time of Trial: War and Peace in the 21st Century. I read a relevant article that used the word “war” in the plural. Quite possible, this detail will also affect the process. It must be taken into account. No one knows how many years of ordeals are in store for us. But they are certain to come.

An interesting epoch is here to stay. As our Chinese friends say, “Be it far from you to live at interesting times.” However, this is not quite so from the diplomatic point of view. Diplomacy, like any active practical science, “comes to life” precisely in the periods, when it is necessary to display initiative, think more, and analyse.

❗️ Forming a multipolar world remains the core trend for today. We are confident that this is a natural process. But there are others who feel nostalgic for the globalisation era and are sure that multipolarity is an artificially imposed construct and a temporary thing that must be suppressed.

The Global South and East countries see multipolarity as a chance for bolstering up their sovereign development without manifestations of Western neo-colonialism that have become rife in recent years, whereas the West has highly mixed feelings about the strengthening of multilateral principles in international life.

⚡️ Joint Declaration of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on Further Strengthening of Cooperation to Uphold the Authority of International Law

unofficial translation

📃 1. The Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China reaffirm their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination in the new era. They firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its center, the international order based on international law, and the central role of the United Nations in international affairs. They reiterate the 2016 Declaration of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China on the Promotion of International law.

🔹 2. The Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China believe that codification and progressive development of international law must take account of the realities of a multipolar world, primarily within the efforts taken under the aegis of the United Nations. They support widest possible participation of States in UN treaties and uniform interpretation and application thereof.

They also note the importance of using the potential of regional, subregional and cross-regional multilateral mechanisms, organizations and integration systems such as #BRICS or the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in elaborating norms of international law, if this is in the best interests of the respective region and participating States.

🔹 8. The Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China oppose and condemn unilateral sanctions that violate international law, in particular the principles of sovereign equality of States, State immunity and non-interference in internal affairs of States, and are not authorized by the Security Council, as well as long-arm jurisdiction and division along ideological lines, and emphasize that States have the right to conduct normal economic and trade cooperation.

🔹 10. The Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China reaffirm the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes and express their firm conviction that States shall resolve their disputes through dispute settlement means and mechanisms that they have agreed upon.

<...>

🔹 13. The Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China assert that international obligations regarding immunity of States, their officials and State property, including but not limited to property of the central bank or other monetary authority of State, diplomatic and consular property, cultural heritage of the State, must be honored by States at all times.

🔹 16. The Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China call for continued efforts to strengthen the system of arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation treaties and at preserving its integrity and validity for maintaining global stability and international peace and security which is in the strongest interest of humankind.

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🔹 21. The Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China reaffirm that international law, in particular the Charter of the United Nations, is applicable and essential to maintaining peace and stability and promoting an open, secure, stable, accessible, peaceful and interoperable Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) environment.

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🔹 24. Having in mind the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the Second World War that helped to shape the very structure of relations between nations in the modern age including the founding of the United Nations, the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China agree to jointly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, as well as international fairness and justice.

✍️ Done at Moscow, on May 8, 2025.

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#RussiaChina

#Анонс

К предстоящей XIII международной встречи высоких представителей, курирующих вопросы безопасности, которая состоится в Москве 27-29 мая 2025 года в Национальном центре «Россия».

❗️ Свыше 125 делегаций из более чем 100 стран подтвердили участие во встрече в Москве.

В ходе мероприятия состоится научный семинар по вопросам глобальной безопасности, который «на полях» впервые организует аппарат Совета Безопасности России при активном участии научно-экспертного совета. В нём будут участвовать более 100 иностранных делегаций.

💬 Пресс-служба аппарата Совбеза РФ: «Процесс выработки важнейших внешнеполитических решений, затрагивающих вопросы международной безопасности и государственного суверенитета, в обязательном порядке базируется на научно обоснованных концепциях и подходах, сценариях и прогнозах развития событий».

Во время форума также состоятся неформальные встречи делегаций стран БРИКС, АСЕАН, ШОС и СНГ, в ходе которых будут обсуждаться вопросы международного сотрудничества в сфере безопасности. В частности, - формирование новой – более справедливой и отвечающей современным реалиям – архитектуры равной и неделимой безопасности.

🎙 Address by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin to participants of the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues (May 28, 2025)

💬 Vladimir Putin: I am pleased to welcome you to Moscow for the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues.

Over the past nearly fifteen years, your Forum has convincingly affirmed its significant status and authority. I know that in these days, participants of the Meeting — representatives of delegations from many states — can expect a substantial programme, with the main discussion dedicated to the prospects of establishing a new global security architecture.

☝️ As for Russia, our approaches remain principled and unchanged. I have said it before and will reiterate: we are convinced that the new security architecture must be equal and indivisible — that is, all states must receive firm guarantees of their own security, but not at the expense of the security and interests of other countries.

It is vital to make our continent a space of peace and stability, an example of sustainable economic, social, and cultural development. We believe that the foundation for creating such a universal security system could be the existing and well-established multilateral cooperation formats, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and others.

Your current meeting is widely attended by states of the Global South and East. It is they, in essence, who form the global majority, seek to influence regional and international processes more actively, and uphold the principle of sovereign equality and the right to their own development model.

Undoubtedly, in building joint efforts, it is necessary to rely on positive historical experience, on the lessons of the past. This year marks the 80th Anniversary of the end of #WWII, which fundamentally influenced the development of the international community.

The experience of uniting states in the fight against evil, against Nazism and militarism, the understanding of the colossal price humanity paid for peace and freedom, for the right of peoples to choose their own path of development, laid the foundations of the post-war world order and led to the creation of the UN — a universal, legitimate organisation based on the principles of international law, which has helped overcome many geopolitical challenges.

Today, it is especially important to preserve the truth about the events of those years, to counter attempts to rewrite history, to cast doubt on the decisive contribution of the peoples of the Soviet Union to the Victory over Hitler’s Germany, and to glorify Nazi criminals and their accomplices.

Just recently, on May 9, we solemnly marked the Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The celebrations in Moscow became yet another symbol of unity around the ideals of the Great Victory, demonstrating once again the commitment of our friends and partners to shaping a safer world, to constructive cooperation, and to jointly addressing global challenges.

I am convinced that this latest meeting of high representatives overseeing security issues will contribute to the development of new important approaches to strengthening international peace and stability and will help advance dialogue for the benefit of all countries and peoples.

I wish you success.

📣 Стартовал 5-й сезон международной премии «Мы вместе».

🤝 Данный конкурс направлен на поддержку и продвижение проектов, ориентированных на помощь людям и повышение качества жизни в России и мире.

🌍 Тема международного трека премии – социальное партнерство для глобального развития.

🗳️ Заявки могут подать иностранные граждане старше 18 лет и НКО по двум номинациям: устойчивое будущее и помощь людям.

✈️Для иностранных лауреатов предусмотрены денежные призы на сумму 10.000 долларов США и приглашение на международный форум, который состоится в Москве в декабре 2025 г.

❗️Отбор заявок – до 23 июня.

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