🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the Ambassadorial Round Table Discussion 'Ukraine Crisis: Compliance with the UN Charter Goals and Principles' (Moscow, September 17, 2025)

💬 This is the ninth round table discussion held in this format.

We appreciate the interest of the #GlobalMajority, which you represent, in the efforts that are being taken in connection with the Ukraine crisis. We try to inform our friends about our stance, actions and plans as openly and explicitly as possible.

Today, I would like to speak about the situation, its history and current developments from the perspective of the #UNCharter, which all countries represented here have ratified and which formalised the universal principles of regulating interstate communication.

These principles include the sovereign equality of states, the non-use of force or threat of force, and respect for human rights regardless of race, sex, language or religion. All UN member states have subscribed to them.

❗️ However, our Western “colleagues” <...> disregard the principles of the UN Charter.

In particular, the West never had any regard for the sovereign equality of states. Cast your mind back to the international crises that took place in the period after the creation of the UN. The West did not show respect for the principle of sovereign equality of state in any of these crises, regarding itself superior to others.

Even when the Werst cites some principles to justify its actions, it does so selectively, choosing principles that suit it in the given instance, and depending on its actions. In the case of Kosovo, they said that they were acting in accordance with the principle of self-determination of nations, on the basis of which they proclaimed its independence without holding a referendum.

In other cases, for example, #Crimea, where over 95 percent of the people openly and transparently voted for reuniting with Russia, the West stated that the principle of self-determination was not applicable and demanded respect for the principle of territorial integrity.

☝️ We are fully aware of these double standards.

The residents of Crimea (in March 2014) and the residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics, the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions (in September 2022) exercised their right to self-determination, enshrined in Article 1 of the UN Charter, through referenda.

We, the Russian Federation, recognised them and, in the face of the continuing aggression from the Nazi Kiev regime, supported by the West, offered them protection in full compliance with Article 51 of the UN Charter that grants countries the right to individual or collective self-defence.

The Kiev regime’s violations of international humanitarian law are so obvious that they simply cannot be denied. There are more than enough facts. But the [UN] Secretariat is taking an opposite stance and attempting to whitewash the acts committed by the Kiev regime <...>.

Europe is clearly — and rather unceremoniously — trying to get a place of its own at the negotiating table. Truth be told, its position of revanchism and inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia makes it unfit to have a seat at the negotiating table.

Europe is talking about sending its contingents to Ukraine. We have already made it clear that they would be considered a legitimate military target. Europe is trying to promote security guarantees for Ukraine, which are being drafted without our participation and openly seek to create military threats to the Russian Federation.

The security guarantees must fully comply with the West’s obligations, enshrined in the UN Charter and in the OSCE consensus documents adopted in Istanbul in 1999 and Astana in 2010. These security guarantees, as was agreed then, must rely on the principle of indivisible security and the principle under which no country has the right to strengthen its own security at the expense of others.

❗️ This is precisely what the West is currently trying to accomplish in Ukraine in its attempts to save it from total collapse.

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📢 Важная информация для граждан России в Сингапуре

Уважаемые соотечественники!

Напоминаем, что в Сингапуре действуют очень строгие законы, касающиеся вейпов, электронных сигарет, устройств нагреваемого табака (IQOS и т.п.), а также вещества этомидат (etomidate). Нарушения могут повлечь за собой серьёзные последствия: штрафы, арест, тюремное заключение и/или депортацию.

🚭 Электронные сигареты, вейпы, IQOS и другие устройства нагрева табака

Полный запрет: ввоз, продажа, покупка, хранение и использование.

Штрафы и наказания (по Закону о табаке (контроль за продажей и рекламой) (Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act)):

Использование / хранение: штраф до S$2 000.

Продажа / импорт:
- Первое нарушение — до S$10 000 и/или до 6 месяцев тюрьмы.
- Повторное — до S$20 000 и/или до 12 месяцев тюрьмы.

С 1 сентября 2025 года вводятся новые фиксированные штрафы для потребителей:

Взрослые (18+) — S$700 за первое нарушение.
Несовершеннолетние (до 18 лет) — S$500.

Повторные нарушения — обязательное прохождение программы реабилитации; при дальнейшем несоблюдении — возможное уголовное преследование.

ℹ️ Подробнее: HSA

💊 Etomidate (этомидат) и «K-pods»

С 1 сентября 2025 года этомидат временно включён в список контролируемых наркотиков класса C по Закону о злоупотреблении наркотиками (Misuse of Drugs Act).
Хранение / употребление: обязательное наблюдение и реабилитация; при повторных нарушениях — уголовное преследование.
Импорт / контрабанда: наказание от 3 до 20 лет лишения свободы и от 5 до 15 ударов ротанговой палкой (caning).
Продажа / распространение: от 2 до 10 лет лишения свободы и от 2 до 5 ударов ротанговой палкой.

ℹ️ Подробнее: CNB

⚠️ Законы Сингапура распространяются на всех лиц без исключения, включая иностранцев.

Возможные последствия нарушений:
- штрафы,
- арест и тюремное заключение,
- отказ во въезде или депортация (по усмотрению властей).

ℹ️ Подробнее: The Straits Times

🎙 Excerpt from the statement by President of Russia Vladimir Putin at a meeting with permanent members of Russia's Security Council (September 22, 2025)

💬 President Putin: I would like to begin with an issue of prime importance, one that is critical to safeguarding our national interests, Russia’s sovereignty, and, without exaggeration, international security as a whole.

I am referring to the situation in the realm of strategic stability, which, regrettably, continues to deteriorate. This is driven by a combination of factors, which are negative, compounding existing strategic risks and generating new ones.

As a result of the destructive actions previously taken by the West, the foundations of constructive relations and practical cooperation between nuclear powers have been significantly undermined.

The basis for dialogue within relevant bilateral and multilateral frameworks has been eroded.

Gradually, the system of Soviet-American and Russian-American agreements on nuclear missile and strategic defence arms control – long relied upon to stabilise relations between the two largest nuclear powers and to enhance global security – has been nearly dismantled. <...>

☝️ Let me emphasise and let there be no doubt: Russia is fully capable of responding to any current or emerging threat, not with words, but through concrete military-technical measures.

A clear example is our decision to end the unilateral moratorium on the deployment of ground-based short- and intermediate-range missiles. This was a forced move needed to ensure an adequate response to the deployment of similar US and other Western-made weapons in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, which poses a direct threat to Russia’s security. <...>

Let me remind you that the last major political and diplomatic achievement in the field of strategic stability was the conclusion of the Russian-American New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) in 2010. However, owing to the profoundly hostile policies of the Biden administration, which undermined the fundamental principles on which this treaty was built, its full implementation was suspended in 2023.

Nevertheless, both Parties have declared their intention to continue voluntarily observing the central quantitative limits of the strategic offensive arms treaty until its expiry.

For nearly 15 years, this agreement has played a constructive role in maintaining balance and predictability in the sphere of strategic offensive weapons.

The New START Treaty will expire on February 5, 2026, signalling the imminent end of the last international accord directly limiting nuclear missile capabilities.

A complete renunciation of this treaty’s legacy would, from many points, be a grave and short-sighted mistake. It would also be adverse to the objectives of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

In order to prevent the emergence of a new strategic arms race and to preserve an acceptable degree of predictability and restraint, we consider it reasonable to maintain in these turbulent times the status quo established under New START.

❗️ Accordingly, Russia is prepared to continue observing the treaty’s central quantitative restrictions for one year after February 5, 2026.

Following that date, based on a careful assessment of the situation, we will make a final decision on whether to uphold these voluntary self-limitations. We believe that this measure is only feasible provided the United States acts in a similar spirit and refrains from steps that would undermine or disrupt the existing balance of deterrence. <...>

I believe that Russia’s initiative, if implemented, could make a substantial contribution to creating the conditions necessary for a substantive strategic dialogue with the United States – provided, of course, that the grounds for its full resumption are secured and that broader steps are taken to normalise bilateral relations and remove core security contradictions.

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🎶🎼 #OTD on September 25, 1906, the outstanding Russian composer Dmitri #Shostakovich was born in Saint Petersburg.

A child prodigy, he entered the Petrograd Conservatory at the age of 13, where he studied piano and composition. His graduation work, Symphony No. 1, brought him international fame at just 19 years old.

Shostakovich went on to become one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, authoring 15 symphonies, 15 string quartets, and world-renowned masterpieces such as Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 7 “Leningrad”, and the String Quartet No. 8. Symphony No. 7 “Leningrad” became a symbol of Soviet resistance during World War II and was performed in besieged Leningrad in 1942. #Victory80

His works reflect both the triumphs and tragedies of his time, balancing dramatic intensity with profound humanity.

#UNGA80

🇷🇺🇺🇸 On September 24 in New York, on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Heads of the foreign offices exchanged opinions on the Ukraine crisis settlement as a follow up to the understandings reached at the Russia-US Summit in Anchorage.

The Parties have reaffirmed mutual interest in the search for peaceful solutions.

Sergey Lavrov emphasised our country’s readiness to adhere to the line developed by the Russian and US leaders in Alaska, including to coordinate efforts with the US Side to remove the root causes of the Ukraine conflict. The Minister stressed the unacceptability of the schemes intended to protract the conflict promoted by Kiev and some European countries.

The Parties compared their positions on the entire bilateral agenda including the prospects of restoring their socio-political contacts. They have reaffirmed the importance of using the impetus given by Russian and US presidents to the process of normalising bilateral relations. Both Parties noted the need for activating efforts to restore regular functioning of their diplomatic missions.

🤝 The Sides have agreed to maintain constructive dialogue between the Russian and US foreign offices.

#RussiaUSA

🎙 Statement by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly (New York, September 25, 2025)

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Mr Chairman,

I express my gratitude for this initiative, which is becoming a tradition – to conduct G20 ministerial meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Our meeting is taking place in the year of two landmark anniversaries.

#Victory80 #UN80

80 years ago – with my country playing a pivotal role – German Nazism and Japanese militarism were defeated, with the People’s Republic of China making a particularly significant contribution to overcoming the latter.

This Victory enabled the establishment of the United Nations, whose founding fathers charged it with the mission to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war” and “promote social progress.” Reliance on the principles enshrined in the UN Charter in their entirety, comprehensiveness, and interrelationship guarantees peaceful, progressive development of all States without exception – both large and small.

☝️ Refusal to adhere to the principles of the Charter reveals neo-colonial ambitions, fuelling global instability and multiplying regional conflicts.

For decades, numerous crises in Africa – many inherited from colonial times, when borders were drawn literally with a ruler and without regard for ethno-religious factors – have remained unresolved.

Another glaring example is the crisis in Ukraine, provoked by the West, which NATO and the EU have transformed into a direct war against my country, actively participating in it.

The escalation in the Middle East also fits this pattern. The unprecedented and horrific humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has already claimed 65'000 lives. Some UN staff working in the region cite estimates suggesting casualties may be ten times higher. None of Israel’s neighbours can feel secure. We witness this daily.

In turn, unilateral economic sanctions – grossly violating the UN Charter – tariff wars, outright blackmail of international trade participants, and brazen breaches of WTO rules not only strike at the most vulnerable and unprotected groups of population but also pose a serious threat to the global economy through, inter alia, market fragmentation and supply chain disruptions.

This December we will mark the 65th anniversary of the UN General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. Clearly, genuine democratisation of the world order and global economic relations would serve humanity’s interests.

The steadily increasing role and importance of such multilateral global governance structures as #BRICS and the #SCO signify the formation of a multipolar world and exemplify equitable diplomacy.

Even before its expansion, BRICS nations’ share of global GDP by purchasing power parity was twice that of the G7. At the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024, specific proposals were put forward to establish new settlement infrastructure and independent exchange and investment mechanisms. Work has commenced on establishing the SCO development bank. These initiatives should enhance economic cooperation among the Global Majority nations, shielding them from unfair competition.

I would like to emphasise the vast potential of the G20. Its composition reflects contemporary geopolitical realities, encompassing both dynamic emerging centres of growth and influence, including BRICS states, and G7 countries. We urge the swift implementation of prior G20 agreements to amplify the roles of Global South and East nations in the IMF and World Bank, proportionate to their actual weight in global economy and finance.

<...>

We maintain that the G20 must – as originally intended – focus on economic issues, avoiding entanglement in military and political agendas to the detriment of the prerogatives of the United Nations and its Security Council.

🇷🇺 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin received Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi in the Kremlin (September 25, 2025)

💬 Vladimir Putin: Mr Director General,

I am delighted to see you. Once again, welcome to Moscow. Thank you for coming here to take part in Rosatom events. In fact, this has already become a traditional event for us. It focuses on developing and promoting nuclear energy in Russia and around the world.

Since 1957, Russia stood at the roots of creating the agency. All these years, we have been proactive in terms of our engagement with the agency in an effort to do everything possible to enable it to deliver on all the global and very responsible and important tasks that it has on its agenda.

🤝 Cooperation has been established in basically all the areas, including the development of the Russian energy sector, as well as our participation in projects abroad, outside the Russian Federation, and many other matters, first of all matters of nuclear safety and security across the world.

I would like to thank you for the constructive cooperation, and on my part, I would like to assure you that we will do everything we can in order to support your work.

#UNGA80

🇷🇺🇸🇬 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan hold a meeting on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly

📍 New York, September 26

#RussiaSingapore