Outcomes of Supreme Eurasian Economic Council's Meeting

🤝On December 26, in Leningrad Region (Russian Federation), Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEEC), chaired a SEEC meeting featuring Heads of State of the Eurasian Economic Union, Heads of Observer States at the EAEU, and Bakytzhan Sagintaev, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission.

📋The Council members approved the Main Directions of the EAEU's international activities for 2025, a framework document in this area, developed by the Commission in accordance with the recommendations of the Member States.

The meeting also approved the Protocol Amending the Treaty on the EAEU as regards the special mechanism for conducting investigations and making decisions on the application or non-application of special safeguard, anti-dumping and countervailing measures.

📑The Commission's reports on the functioning of the common market of services and liberalization of individual service sectors in the Eurasian Economic Union were presented to the leaders of the Union countries.

An Agreement on a unified system of customs transit between the EAEU and a third party (third parties) was signed, defining the fundamental legal basis for the conclusion of individual international treaties between the Union and third countries on the creation of a unified transit system.

🇮🇷The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council granted the Islamic Republic of Iran the status of an Observer State at the EAEU.

🇧🇾The Heads of the Union countries determined that in 2025 the Republic of Belarus will chair the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council and the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission.

📍The next SEEC meeting will be held at the end of May 2025 in Belarus.

🔗 https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/news/itogi-zasedaniya-vysshego-evraziyskogo-ekonomicheskogo-soveta-26-dekabrya-2024-g/

🇷🇺 Russia's Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large for the G20, APEC and BEP issues Marat Berdyev:

Russia is actively fostering foreign trade and economic relations.

🤝 In the first nine months of 2024, Russia's trade turnover with foreign partners amounted to 584 billion dollars.

We traditionally preserved surplus in export-import transactions.

Russia developed the most intense commercial ties with the friendly nations: China 🇨🇳, India 🇮🇳, Türkiye 🇹🇷, Belarus 🇧🇾, and Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 are in the top five.

We enhance close cooperation with the Global South/East nations within the framework of the key multilateral formats, the #G20, #APEC in particular, and also with the promising participants of the Greater Eurasian Partnership (#GEP) flagship initiative.

Together we are seeking the creation of fair markets, supply chains and global institutions that meet the interests of the Global Majority.

#Outcomes2024

⚡️ On January 14, at 11:30 a.m. (MSK) at the Press Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russia will be hosted a press conference of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov on the results of Russian diplomacy in 2024 .

🕣 11:30 a.m. MSK
🕣 08:30 a.m. GMT
🕞 03:30 a.m. EST

Russian and foreign journalists are invited.

Accreditation is open until 12:00, on January 10.

Read in full

⚡️ Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the drone attack in the DPR killing a Russian journalist and wounding his colleagues

On January 4, Izvestiya newspaper freelance correspondent Alexander Martemyanov was killed in a targeted drone attack by the Kiev regime militants, which also left at least another four Russian journalists wounded to varying degrees of severity, including RIA Novosti reporters Mikhail Kevkhiev and Maxim Romanenko.

A vehicle carrying a team of war correspondents was heading back to Donetsk after filming the effects of the shelling of civilian facilities in Gorlovka by Ukrainian neo-Nazis when it was hit by a kamikaze drone loaded with explosives. The tragedy occurred far from the line of contact. The media representatives were intentionally selected as targets for a deadly attack, which is also evidenced by the testimonies of its survivors.

▪️ We express our deep condolences to Alexander Martemyanov’s family and friends, the editorial staff of the Izvestiya Multimedia Information Centre, and all his colleagues who are currently performing their professional duty in the zone of the special military operation. We wish a speedy recovery to those wounded in this atrocious terrorist attack.

The assassination of Russian journalists is yet another brutal crime in a string of violent atrocities committed by the Zelensky regime, which has openly resorted to terrorist methods to eliminate its ideological opponents. The Kiev clique is accountable for the deaths of countless innocent citizens, people of civilian professions, including journalists and war correspondents who became victims of intentional attacks carried out as part of the terror campaign that Bandera inhumane followers unleashed against Russia’s civilian population as well as their own nation.

The idea of ​​the total impunity and permissiveness that the Ukrobanderite murderers of unarmed journalists revel in stems directly from the policy pursued by relevant international bodies such as the OHCHR, UNESCO and the OSCE, which have chosen to intentionally ignore the Kiev regime’s crimes.

This politically biased stance by multilateral institutions has peaked with a recent draft report by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity, which failed to mention a single Russian journalist killed by Ukrainian militants. Despite the rejection of approval of the report, which grossly distorts the actual situation and is full of statistical manipulations, the UNESCO leadership and its head have yet to take a single step that would indicate a radical revision of this fundamentally flawed and vicious practice. This makes the leader of this global organisation a direct accomplice and instigator of the terrorist attacks.

❗️ We demand that this brutal murder of a Russian war correspondent receive a proper response from Audrey Azoulay in accordance to her mandate. We expect all other human rights organisations and bodies to express a similarly strong denunciation of this horrific act. Attempts to hide behind vague excuses and broad statements cannot be regarded as an adequate response from the relevant authorities; international officials who advocate for human rights must explicitly point to the perpetrators of these killings.

All those responsible for the crime against Russian journalists will be identified and will face a just and inevitable punishment.

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☦️ President of Russia Vladimir Putin congratulated all Orthodox Christians and all Russians celebrating Christmas.

The message reads, in part:

✉️ “This bright, much-awaited holiday is dear to millions of people all over the world. It gives believers joy and hope and inspires good thoughts, deeds and actions. During the Christmas season we clearly feel with all our heart how important for us are parental, family traditions that are being handed down from generation to generation.

I should say that the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations in Russia play a tremendous creative role in uniting the people and in preserving our historical memory and unique cultural and spiritual heritage. Religious organisations make a meaningful contribution to strengthening the institution of the family, to educating young people and to affirming in society such intransient moral ideals and values as caring for one's neighbour, mercy and compassion, and support for those in need of help and attention. This multifaceted and much needed work deserves most profound recognition.

I wish Orthodox Christians and all Russian citizens celebrating Christmas good health and wellbeing.”

🇷🇺🇿🇦SCIENTISTS FROM RUSSIA AND SOUTH AFRICA WILL JOINTLY DEVELOP REGENERATIVE TECHNOLOGIES

✍🏻Specialists from Sechenov University and the University of Cape Town in the Republic of South Africa have signed a partnership agreement in the field of biomedical research and education, with a focus on the development of regenerative technologies.

📍Representatives of the Institute of Regenerative Medicine of Sechenov University visited South Africa within the framework of an international project supported by a grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The visit resulted in the signing of an agreement on joint work in the field of biomedicine.

🔬The project, created with the participation of the two universities, focuses on the development of bioprinting and biophotonics technologies. Russian specialists will be engaged in fundamental research, while their colleagues from South Africa will focus on the development of engineering solutions for implementation in medical practice.

🤝According to Alexey Faizullin, head of the Digital Microscopic Analysis Laboratory at Sechenov University, the Russian side has sufficient experience and knowledge in the field of regenerative medicine to develop medical products. The University of Cape Town, in turn, has an advanced engineering base and experience in creating medical products adapted to local clinical conditions. He noted that South Africa is a valuable partner and emphasised the prospect of collaboration.
Initial research will focus on the use of photobiomodulation in dentistry and treatment of chronic wounds.

As part of the visit, Russian scientists held joint events with colleagues from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the University of Cape Town and the University of Johannesburg. The topic of the meeting was photobiomodulation as a direction that combines medicine, engineering and 3D bioprinting. This collaboration is designed to accelerate the introduction of directed regeneration technologies into clinical practice. As a result of the event, a programme of further research was developed.

🔗 https://afrinz.ru/en/2025/01/scientists-from-russia-and-south-africa-will-jointly-develop-regenerative-technologies/

🇷🇺 The Russian Federation welcomes the accession of the Republic of Indonesia to #BRICS as a full-fledged participant from January 1, 2025.

The candidacy of Indonesia was submitted and approved in advance during the first phase of BRICS’ expansion at the Summit in Johannesburg, the Republic of South Africa, in 2023. However, in the context of the 2024 presidential elections, Indonesian partners decided to postpone Jakarta’s official request pending the inauguration of the new head of state and the appointment of the government.

During Russia’s BRICS chairship in 2024, the Republic of Indonesia submitted an official request for joining BRICS. The document was examined in accordance with the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures for BRICS membership expansion. All BRICS states agreed, by consensus, to support the Indonesian bid.

🇮🇩 #Indonesia, the largest economy and most populous nation in Southeast Asia, shares BRICS values, advocates multilateral cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect, openness, pragmatism, solidarity and consensus.

Indonesia’s accession to BRICS will help enhance the group’s authority and prestige still further and will also facilitate the consistent consolidation of the Global South and East for forging a more equitable and well-balanced multipolar world order.

#HistoryOfDiplomacy

📜 On January 9, 1792 (December 29, 1791), the Treaty of Jassy was signed between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, ending the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791.

That conflict had been provoked by the revanchist policy pursued by the Porta (Ottoman Empire) which sought regaining Crimea and undermining Russia's increasing dominance in the South Caucasus.

⚔️ The 1787-1791 military campaign, which took place in the Northern Black Sea region, the Balkans and the Caucasus, was the triumph of the Russian army. On December 17, 1788, the Russian forces, commanded by Prince Grigory Potemkin victoriously took the fortress of Ochakov, an important stronghold of the Ottoman Empire in the Northern Black Sea region. On December 22, 1790, the Russian army, led by legendary General Alexander Suvorov took the key stronghold of the Porte in the Balkans — Izmail. On July 31, 1791, Admiral Fyodor Ushakov’s fleet decisively crushed the Ottoman navy forces at Cape Kaliakra (the Black Sea).

In summer of 1791, Prince Nikolay Repnin, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian army, negotiated the terms of truce with the Ottomans in Galati. However, after the Parties reached agreement, Russia and the Porte launched talks in Jassy (Iași) in the Moldavian Principality (now Romania). The Russian delegation at the talks headed by Prince Grigory Potemkin.

The Ottomans, still hoping to turn the tide of the campaign and defeat the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, tried to protract the negotiations. But those hopes were never destined to come true. The convincing victory of the Russian fleet at Cape Kaliakra forced the Ottoman Empire to cease the hostilities and resume talks.

✍️ Thus, the #TreatyOfJassy, a document comprising a preamble and 13 articles, was finally signed on January 9, 1792.

This document, among other things, confirmed some provisions of the 1774 Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca: the Ottoman Empire had recognised Russia’s sovereignty over the north of the Crimean Peninsula, including the important fortresses of Kerch and Yeni-Kale, which blocked the way from the Azov Sea to the Black Sea. Under the 1774 Treaty, the Ottoman Empire also recognised the independence of the Crimean Khanate, which further led to the accession of the Peninsula to the Russian Empire in 1783.

☝️ It is difficult to overestimate the historical significance of the Treaty of Jassy for Russia. By ending the Russian-Turkish war of 1787-1791, the document finally secured the Northern Black Sea region as part of the Russian Empire. The territory between the Southern Bug and Dniester rivers was also transferred to Russia. In 1794, the city of #Odessa was founded in our country’s new territories.

The Treaty of Jassy considerably strengthened Russia’s positions in the Balkans and the Caucasus. Under the document's provisions, the Ottoman Empire renounced its claims to Georgia and, therefore, potential aggression against Georgian territory. In general, the Treaty finally put an end to the Ottoman raids on Russia’s southern frontiers.

🇷🇺Russia’s Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large for the G20, APEC and BEP issues Marat Berdyev:

Russia’s participation in key multilateral forums such as the #G20 and #APEC contributes to the accelerated formation of a multipolar world order and economic system.

📈In terms of aggregate GDP, the BRICS members have already surpassed the G7, with their share standing at 37%, compared to less than 30% for the G7.

According to some expert estimates, the countries of the Global Majority will drive up to 75% of global economic growth over the next few decades.

Russia plays a significant role in this positive trend of fair optimization of production potentials.

🤝We continue to actively develop international economic cooperation, focusing on friendly regions.

According to the Federal Customs Service (FCS), Russia's external trade volume in 2024 is expected to reach $700 billion.

Approximately 70% of export-import operations already involve the Asia-Pacific Region (#APR).

🌍Trade with Africa has been expanding, reaching a peak of $25 billion in 2023.

The Russian economy grew by about 4% in 2024, demonstrating resilient performance.

This growth occurred against the backdrop of more modest global averages, limited to 3.1%, and stagnation in many European countries.

🌾Russian companies are playing an increasingly significant role not only in supplying critical energy and food resources but also in high-tech sectors and manufacturing industries.

We are intensifying transactions in national currencies, particularly the Russian ruble, which accounts for 80-90% of trade with key partners such as China and the EAEU.

Under the initiative of President Vladimir Putin, the Big Eurasian Partnership (#BEP) is building a transit framework centered on Russian territory.

Transit capacity is expanding, and the utilization of the "West-East" and "North-South" transport corridors is increasing, along with the operation of the Northern Sea Route (#NSR).

🚢In the past year, the NSR handled a record volume of over 37 million tons of commercial cargo.

At the #G20 and #APEC significant momentum has been given to the reform of global economic institutions in the interests of the Global South/East.

📈Constructive approaches have been adopted, aiming to preserve an open trade and investment environment, form energy balances on a technologically neutral basis, and support digital transformation.

❗️We will continue to move forward with partners in this promising direction at multilateral economic diplomacy platforms.

Photo: www.rosstip.ru

#G20 #APEC #RussianMFA

🇿🇦The African National Congress (ANC) is celebrating 113 years of its existence this weekend, a momentous milestone for the party and its long-standing commitment to the liberation and development of South Africa.

The celebrations will culminate in the main January 8 Statement Rally, which will take place on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at Mandela Park Stadium in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

📍The 2,000-seater stadium is expected to host more than 20,000 ANC supporters from across the city.

🇷🇺🤝🇿🇦The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to South Africa H.E. Roman Ambarov will attend the memorable event.

🔗Watch live

#RussianMFA #RussiaSouthAfrica

📺 Diplomatic Dispatch: Conversation on the Ukraine crisis and Russia’s relations with the West

Join us for an engaging conversation as Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin and Geoffrey Roberts, Emeritus Professor of History at University College Cork, explore some of today's most pressing global issues.

They discussed potential solutions to the Ukraine conflict, the state of Russia-NATO relations, the future of European security, the evolving multipolar world order, as well as the legacy of the Second World War.

Watch this episode on YouTube

💬 Andrey Kelin: The further the Ukraine conflict goes, the more ground we will gain if the West continues with the same policy of supplying Ukraine with weapons, resources, money and all that. <...>

It is important that Ukraine remains neutral, because otherwise it will be under the umbrella of NATO and the European Union, and it will be dictated what to do. <...>

We do not want [Ukraine to be a failed state], and that is why we are in favour of Ukraine being a sovereign, independent state that has relations with everybody, including Russia. All these laws of racial discrimination against Russian culture and education should be abolished immediately.