🇷🇺🇹🇷 Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the Republic of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan

🔹The leaders had a thorough discussion of the President of Russia's initiative on resuming direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, which were proposed to be held in Istanbul starting on May 15.

🔹Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed his full support for Russia's proposal and emphasised his willingness to provide a venue for the talks in Istanbul. The Turkish side will offer all possible assistance in organising and holding talks aimed at achieving sustainable peace.

🔹The President of Russia conveyed his impressions of the events held in Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of Great Victory, as well as the international engagements that took place over these few days.

🔹The leaders have also expressed mutual interest in further expanding the bilateral ties in trade and investment and, in particular, implementing joint strategic projects in energy.

✍🏻For the first time in 80 years, nuclear war is a real possibility

Article by Dr. Iqbal Survé, Chairman of Sekunjalo Group

Cape Town, 11 May 2025

💭Today, we face a chilling reality: for the first time since those horrific events, the threat of nuclear war is no longer theoretical. It is real, it is present, and it is dangerously close.

War, I believe, has no victors. Only victims.

Today’s nuclear arsenal makes Hiroshima look primitive. Modern warheads have unprecedented destructive power and delivery speed. A single strike can obliterate millions.

Even more concerning is the advent of ‘tactical’ nuclear weapons — smaller bombs with concentrated impact, falsely marketed as controlled warfare.

From the Kashmir border to the Gaza Strip, from the Taiwan Strait to the South China Sea, we are sitting atop pressure points that could ignite instantaneously.

The greatest danger is not weaponry. It is dehumanisation.

As someone who has had the privilege of engaging with global leaders, including recently with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, I know that diplomacy, when rooted in honesty and humility, can defuse even the most dangerous situations. We must make room for such diplomacy again.

Thankfully, under Nelson Mandela’s leadership, South Africa became the first country to dismantle its nuclear arsenal voluntarily. It was a choice for peace, a stand for humanity.

Let us not sleepwalk into catastrophe. Let us instead awaken to the truth: that peace, not war, is the only legacy worth leaving behind.

🔗 Read in full: https://iol.co.za/news/opinion/2025-05-11-for-the-first-time-in-80-years-nuclear-war-is-a-real-possibility/

🎙 Briefing by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (Moscow, May 6, 2025)

🔹 The decisive role of the Soviet Union and the Red Army in defeating Nazi Germany and lessons drawn from history
🔹 Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in Russia and around the world
🔹 Ukraine crisis
🔹 Kiev regime crimes
🔹 On Stephane Dujarric’s comments
🔹 On Argentina’s authorities declassification of documents regarding Nazi presence in the country
🔹 NATO-Georgia command and staff exercise
🔹 Russia's EMERCOM assistance to friendly Iran in fighting the Shahid Rajaee Port fire

📰 Read
📺 Watch

***

#Victory80

We will forever remember the price we paid for Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Unlike countries of the Western Europe overpowered by Nazis, the Soviet Union did not succumb to Nazis who planned to exterminate us all. We faced a war of annihilation. For decades after Nuremberg, this was never questioned. Now, we are forced to prove that it was genocide.

The peoples of the Soviet Union not only defeated the Wehrmacht, but also brought life, liberation and salvation to the peoples of Eastern and Central Europe. The Red Army, the Soviet soldiers halted the Nazi extermination machine in its tracks and extinguished the Holocaust crematoria. Those who deny this are clearly supporting the resurgence of Nazism and the rise of neo-Nazism.

In a futile attempt, the embassies of the Kiev regime and its Western patrons are trying to propagate deep-rooted falsehoods that defy history. In their hatred, Ukrainian diplomats go so far as to equate the Soviet Union (homeland of their forefathers) with the Third Reich. <...>What they are doing causes nothing but indignation and disgust. Fathers and grandfathers of many of them, including the ringleader of the Kiev junta Zelensky, were front-line soldiers who fought for the common Soviet Motherland against Nazi invaders and criminals. What would their ancestors say, looking them in the eye, seeing their descendants who, for the sake of personal gain or a pat on the shoulder from their Western master, smear their own past and betray their own history?

#KievRegimeCrimes

The Kiev regime has really pushed the limits in its so-called de-communisation policy. It now advises Great Patriotic War veterans living in Ukraine – as unbelievable as this may sound – to conceal the war-time decorations they earned for winning the war, for the battles they fought and the feats they accomplished during the Great Patriotic War. They are being told to wear their decorations on the inside of their jackets so that they do not cause any misgivings to those around them who might somehow be disturbed. They referred to them as "sensitive people" without going as far as calling them Russia-haters, but there is no doubt that this is what they had in mind. How can this be? And how do we frame this posture? This is a deliberate effort to sneer at these people, mock and disparage them.

The Kiev regime now wants the real heroes not only to stay in the shadows, but to stage their self-annihilation of sorts so that they keep their heads underwater without even daring to show their decorations and medals. It is quite obvious that the Kiev regime views those who saved the world from Nazism with fear, hatred and resentfulness.

#UN #DoubleStandards

During his regular media briefing, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric made yet another outrageous comment regarding the situation in Ukraine.

The UN Secretary-General, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and some other UN agencies are not averse to seizing on even the most absurd accusations against our country.

#Georgia #NATO

The Alliance is continuing with its policy of drawing South Caucasus republics into its orbit.

It should be clear to everyone that NATO’s actions in the South Caucasus are not aimed at enhancing security but at creating a zone of instability and military-political tension in the region.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s address to participants of a grand ceremony for opening the 2nd BRICS Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum (May 15, 2025)

💬 Ladies and gentlemen,

Colleagues,

Friends,

Welcome to the grand opening ceremony marking the beginning of the 2nd BRICS Women’s Entrepreneurship Forum.

Without a doubt, today’s event represents a milestone for the BRICS countries’ business communities and our entire association, which increasingly plays a big part in global affairs.

We view BRICS as a focal point for coordinating interests of the World Majority’s leading countries, a key pillar of a multipolar world, and an important mechanism for advancing genuinely multilateral cooperation. I would like to emphasise that our joint work within the association is based on the principles of equality, mutual respect, and balance of interests of all participants.

The potential of BRICS has benefitted greatly from expansion. The BRICS countries represent nearly half of the world’s population, and their aggregate GDP makes up about 40 percent of global GDP in terms of purchasing power parity, more than that of the G7.

Considering this, it stands to reason that BRICS continues to attract the Global South and Global East countries that seek mutually beneficial partnerships and joint development.

Expanding comprehensive cooperation within the BRICS format is among our unconditional foreign policy priorities. We place special emphasis on supporting new ideas and pro-active approaches in the economy, ensuring financial stability, advancing digitalisation, and enhancing transport connectivity.

Women’s entrepreneurship is a key factor in achieving progress in these and other areas. Your determination, innovation-based approaches, and leadership create new prospects and open new horizons for expanding our respective economies and social spheres.

Today’s forum provides an excellent opportunity to exchange best practices, to establish and strengthen business contacts, and to coordinate specific practical cooperation projects.

The initiatives to be developed during the forum will be taken into account in preparations for the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7 and contribute to the collective efforts of our association.

I wish you engaging interactions, substantive discussions, and all the best. I am confident that, acting together, we can make our BRICS partnership even more effective.

⚡️ Head of the Russian Delegation for the talks with Ukraine Vladimir Medinsky:

💬 Tomorrow, starting 10 a.m., we will be waiting for the Ukrainian side, that should arrive for the meeting, to begin the talks.

📍 Istanbul, Türkiye. May 15, 2025

⚡️ Statement by the Head of Delegation of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky on the outcomes of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul (May 16, 2025)

💬 Dear colleagues,

The direct negotiations with the Ukrainian side, held on the initiative of the President of Russia, have just concluded.

In general, we are satisfied with the outcome and are ready to continue contacts.

This is what we agreed on:

1. In the coming days there will be a large-scale exchange of prisoners of war — 1,000 for 1,000.

2. The Ukrainian side has requested direct talks between the heads of state. We have taken notice of this request.

3. We agreed that each side would present its vision of a possible future ceasefire. This will be outlined in detail.

Once this vision has been presented, we believe it would be appropriate, as also agreed, to continue our negotiations.

#Opinion

✍️ Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, former State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (in 2005-2019) Grigory Karasin (May 17, 2025)

💬 Grigory Karasin: It is clear that Istanbul marked a crucial turning point.

Despite the camouflage sheen of certain Kiev negotiators and the traditionally cunning faces of the European masterminds constantly surrounding Zelensky, the talks in Türkiye should be regarded as a serious milestone on the path towards resolving the crisis in Ukraine.

The first face-to-face meeting between the two delegations after the three years of fierce military confrontation — despite all the Western propaganda tricks — has nonetheless opened the door to contacts and solutions on specific, sensitive issues.

👉 Credit should be given to the calm and confident manner in which the Russian delegation conducted the dialogue.

The POWs exchange and the agreement to continue negotiations are significant outcomes of a difficult and complex process.

Russia’s objectives remain unchanged and were clearly stated by the President in June 2024. There is a growing sense that these goals are now being perceived with greater clarity, both by Kiev and its handlers.

❗️ The important thing is that the process has begun.

📰 Interview of Tatyana Dovgalenko, Director of the Department for Partnership with Africa of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with New Eastern Outlook journal (May 19, 2025)

Key talking points:

• Today, when Russian-African relations are undergoing a renaissance after the period of inattention caused by the collapse of the USSR and a period of qualitative transformation is underway, the creation of a new structure in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs testifies to the unconditional priority of this area for us, a long-term choice in favour of strengthening ties with the Global South and to the attention that the Russian leadership pays to Africa.

• The pursuit of genuine sovereignty, justice and a more democratic world order, free from diktat and double standards, based on respect for the norms of international law in their entirety, the equality of states, the consideration of each people’s interests and the recognition of their distinctive culture and traditions is a constant of Russian-African relations.

• Russia has consistently advocated strengthening the continent’s position within a multipolar world, supports the aspirations of African partners to obtain a permanent status in the UN Security Council, insists on reforming global financial and trade institutions – taking into account, amongst other things, the interests of African countries – and welcomes the successful development of integration processes on the continent.

• The interest of African states in #BRICS is growing. Today, South Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia are full members of the association, and this January Nigeria and Uganda joined as partner states. During the Russian presidency of BRICS last year, we steadily promoted a common vision for a just multipolar world order based on respect for the sovereignty of all states.

• Africa is well aware of the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis and the role of the West in fuelling it. Many countries of the continent take an independent and principled position of non-interference in conflicts outside their region, including in regards to the Special Military Operation. Non-alignment with sanctions against Russia is a clear demonstration of the firm and confident position of our African partners, who have not succumbed to pressure from the West, and their choice in favour of constructive relations with Russia

• Despite all possible restrictions created by the West, our country responsibly fulfils its international obligations in terms of the supply of food and fertilisers. Thus, in 2024, Russian exports of agricultural products to African countries increased by almost 20%, exceeding $7 billion and covering 45 countries of the continent. In addition, Russia is highly interested in improving the efficiency of the agricultural sector in African countries and their food self-sufficiency.

• Russian education continues to be prestigious and is in great demand among Africans, being a kind of quality mark. Today, over 32'000 African students study at our universities, of which more than 8'000 are on a budget basis.

• The expansion of the network of Russian diplomatic missions is a clear confirmation of our return to Africa and large-scale plans to develop relations with the countries of the continent. In 2024, after a break of more than 30 years, the Russian embassies in Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea were reopened. This year, the diplomatic missions of our country in Niger and Sierra Leone will resume their activities, an embassy in South Sudan will be opened for the first time. Plans for the near future include the establishment of diplomatic missions in The Gambia, Liberia, the Union of the Comoros and Togo.

• We believe that Africa should not be an arena for geopolitical rivalry, but a space of mutually beneficial cooperation to be developed in an exclusively equal and respectful manner. Our obvious advantage is that we do not tell Africans whom to be friends with or which partners to choose. We respect their sovereignty and national interests not in words, but in deeds.

Read in full

#RussiaAfrica

⚡️ President of Russia Vladimir Putin’s statement to the media following a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump (May 19, 2025)

💬 Vladimir Putin: Good evening.

Our colleagues asked me to briefly comment on the outcome of my telephone conversation with the President of the United States.

This conversation has effectively taken place and lasted more than two hours. I would like to emphasise that it was both substantive and quite candid. Overall, I believe it was a very productive exchange.

First and foremost, I expressed my gratitude to the President of the United States for the support provided by the United States in facilitating the resumption of direct talks between Russia and Ukraine aimed at potentially reaching a peace agreement and resuming the talks which, as we know, were thwarted by the Ukrainian side in 2022.

The President of the United States shared his position on the cessation of hostilities and the prospects for a ceasefire. For my part, I noted that Russia also supports a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis as well. What we need now is to identify the most effective ways towards achieving peace.

We agreed with the President of the United States that Russia would propose and is ready to engage with the Ukrainian side on drafting a memorandum regarding a potential future peace agreement. This would include outlining a range of provisions, such as the principles for settlement, the timeframe for a possible peace deal, and other matters, including a potential temporary ceasefire, should the necessary agreements be reached.

Contacts among participants of the Istanbul meeting and talks have resumed, which gives reason to believe that we are on the right track overall.

I would like to reiterate that the conversation was highly constructive, and I assess it positively.

The key issue, of course, is now for the Russian side and the Ukrainian side to show their firm commitment to peace and to forge a compromise that would be acceptable to all parties.

☝️ Notably, Russia’s position is clear. Eliminating the root causes of this crisis is what matters most to us.

Should any clarifications be necessary, Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov and my aide, Mr Yuri Ushakov, will provide further details on today’s telephone talks with President Trump.

🇿🇦 South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, delivered an interim summary of his country’s historic first Presidency of the #GroupofTwenty.

During a recent dedicated briefing for the local diplomatic corps, the following key points were emphasized:

📆 Over 50 G20 meetings of various levels, including ministerial sessions, have been held.

🌍 There is broad support within the #G20, as well as among invited states and international organizations, for the cooperation priorities proposed by South Africa.

The following independent and significant areas are highlighted as particularly noteworthy:

🟢 Reform of the multilateral trading system (MTS) and the global financial architecture;

🟢 Promotion of inclusivity, equity, and meaningful participation;

🟢 Efforts to counter climate change;

🟢 International cooperation in taxation and combating illicit financial flows.

‼️ Mr. Lamola expressed“collective concern over the rise of protectionism and unilateral measures that undermine the MTS.”

In this regard, he called for mutually acceptable solutions on agenda issues and emphasized the importance of strictly adhering to the G20's consensus-based decision-making mechanism.

🗓️ He also confirmed South Africa’s intention to host the 2nd Social Summit in November.

#KievRegimeCrimes

❗️ Maxim Grigoryev, the Сhairman of the International Public Tribunal on the Crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis, which includes representatives of civil society from more than 30 countries, continues recording reports of war crimes committed by the Kiev regime towards prisoners of war (POWs).

Below are their first-hand accounts 👇

💬 Prisoner of war Matvey Ainyaurgin:

"When they [Ukrainian Armed Forces] captured me, the first thing they did was beat me up. <...> They said they were going to 'zero me out,' which meant killing me. <...> I had wounds on my legs, and they kicked me directly on those wounds."

💬 Prisoner of war Oleg Kisilev:

"The [Ukrainian Armed Forces] attacked me from all sides with two or three bats. They smashed my head. <...> They broke my arm and my leg; they shattered my kneecaps with a bat. <...> They constantly broke me down morally. I asked for painkillers, but they never gave me any."

💬 Prisoner of war Ivan Fomenko:

"The [Ukrainian Armed Forces] stripped us naked, then took bats, clubs, and sticks and beat us. They set two dogs on us and watched as the dogs tore people apart. The dogs bit hard. <...> Some were tortured with electric shocks."

🎙 On May 21, on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the World Health Assembly, the Ministries of Health of 🇷🇺Russia, 🇧🇷Brazil, 🇨🇳China, 🇨🇺Cuba, 🇮🇩Indonesia, and 🇿🇦South Africa organized an official side event on the topic “New Perspectives for a World Free of Tuberculosis”.

🤝 The event was attended by Cuban Minister of Health José Ángel Portal Miranda, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom, senior officials from BRICS health ministries, representatives of civil society, and relevant international organizations.

🔬 Participants discussed the progress made by countries in combating tuberculosis at both global and national levels, as well as strategic initiatives and coordinated actions aimed at eradicating tuberculosis - the leading infectious cause of death worldwide. In 2023 alone, 1.25 million people died from tuberculosis, including 161,000 people living with HIV. Although around 79 million lives have been saved since 2000 through global efforts, the disease continues to disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and hinders sustainable development.

🎯 Participants reviewed the progress in fulfilling the commitments made at the 2023 UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis, where heads of state and government endorsed a set of ambitious targets. Current priorities include sustainable disease control efforts, intensified research and innovation, and increased funding.

🇷🇺 Russia is making a significant contribution to the fight against tuberculosis, has achieved notable progress in this area, and is ready to further strengthen constructive cooperation with partners to reduce the burden of this dangerous disease.

🎙 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin held a meeting with Government members, via videoconference (May 22, 2025)

💬 Critically important issue for ensuring safety and protecting people’s lives and health is the demining of territories where combat operations occurred, including the elimination of unexploded ordnance, mines, and weapon caches left behind by militants.

I reiterate: this concerns the Kursk Region, the Bryansk Region, and the Belgorod Region, which have also suffered and continue to endure shelling. Moreover, the adversary typically targets objectives devoid of military significance: civilian infrastructure and people’s homes.

#KievRegimeCrimes: The most recent events only confirm what I just said: drone attacks as well as sabotage and reconnaissance actions target civilian transport, including ambulances and agricultural machinery. Most of the casualties are women and children.

❗️ A decision has been made to create a buffer security zone along the Russian border. Our Armed Forces are working on this now.

They are also effectively suppressing enemy firing points. At the same time, I would like to point out once again that, given the situation in the Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk regions, we need to begin restoring and rebuilding everything that has been destroyed there right away.

Read in full

🌍 African nations are displaying a strong interest in the XIII international Meeting of High Representatives For Security Issues to be held at the "Russia" National Centre in Moscow on May 27−29, 2025.

Forty-five delegations from over 40 countries of Africa, as well as several Africa-based international organisations, including the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority for Development, have confirmed their intention to participate in the forum that will be chaired by Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu.

🤝 In a separate briefing to be held on the sidelines of the 13th meeting, participants will discuss ways to further intensify relations between Russia and African countries even further, particularly in light of decisions approved by the Russia-Africa summits.

The Press Service of the Executive Office of the Security Council of Russia:

“Large-scale geopolitical changes have directly affected the interests of states of the Global South and East. We hear an increasingly audible voice of African countries, which seek to conduct their foreign policy in the interests of their people and are ready to defend their right to freely choose their path of development. Russia has always rendered assistance to its African partners in their striving to defend their sovereignty, national interests and legitimate place in the system of international relations.”

#RussiaAfrica