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📸 Heads of delegations take part in the traditional #FamilyPhoto ceremony ahead of the #BRICS Ministerial

📍 Nizhny Novgorod, June 10, 2024

#BRICS2024

🕯 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov began his opening remarks and opened the BRICS Ministerial with a minute of silence in memoriam of the President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi, expressed deepest condolences to the people of Iran.

🇷🇺🇮🇷 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Acting Foreign Minister of Iran Ali Bagheri Kani hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #BRICS Ministerial

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🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s opening remarks during a meeting with Acting Foreign Minister of Iran Ali Bagheri Kani on the sidelines of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Thank you for attending this meeting and for the opportunity to have a bilateral discussion with you.

I would like to yet again extend my heartfelt condolences on the passing of President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. We will always remember them not only as great sons of the Islamic Republic of Iran but also as loyal friends of Russia. Together, we accomplished much and established several promising plans for cooperation in the interests of our peoples.

We appreciate our Iranian friends’ commitment to maintaining the continuity of our relations and their unwavering stance on advancing mutually beneficial cooperation in all areas. We confirm our full support and reciprocation of this position.

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📍 Nizhny Novgorod, June 10

#RussiaIran

🎙 FM Sergey Lavrov’s answers to questions from the Moscow. Kremlin. Putin television programme (St Petersburg, June 9, 2024)

❓ Question: President Joseph Biden said in an interview that US weapons would not be used by Ukraine to strike Moscow or the Kremlin. Isn’t it a step towards a major escalation?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: I find it hard to comment on this. However, if he was of sound mind and memory when he said that, and is now bragging about not issuing orders to bomb Moscow, it implies that all other things are allowed.

By and large, they are, in fact, bombing everything else. Not long ago, at the beginning of the conflict, they launched drones to attack Moscow. Back then, no one did anything to bring the Zelensky regime into line. Our Western colleagues shouldn’t try to put a positive spin on their behaviour.

At a meeting with the members of international news agencies, many Western ones among them, President Putin made it clear that without the direct involvement of the US, Britain and the Europeans the attacks on the Belgorod and Kursk regions and other Russian territories wouldn’t have been possible. They are all well aware of that.

Look at our French colleagues suddenly going abuzz. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal started saying they have no instructors in Ukraine. This is not true and they know it. It appears that their plot is to slowly get everyone accustomed to the idea that nothing is happening, but take one more step tomorrow, and another one the day after tomorrow.

❓ Question: Do you think they have heard Vladimir Putin’s message about us possibly shipping our weapons to other parts of the world? Will they get the message?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: I have no doubt that they have heard it and will get it. They still have people there who can analyse things. They engage in escalation with the sole purpose of pleasing their radical base, and do so daily in the run-up to every election campaign.

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☝️ If you send arms to our enemy, we are free to choose our response to your hostile actions

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🇷🇺🇹🇭 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of Thailand Maris Sangiampongsa hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #BRICS Ministerial

📍 Nizhny Novgorod, June 10

#RussiaThailand

🇷🇺🇱🇦 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos Saleumxay Kommasith hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #BRICS Ministerial

📍 Nizhny Novgorod, June 10

#RussiaLaos

🎙 Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s answer to a media question regarding missile strikes of the Kiev regime targeting Lugansk and the Kherson Region

❓ Question: Today, the Kiev regime carried out yet more attacks on civilians in Lugansk and the Kherson Region, resulting in the loss of many innocent lives. What is the Foreign Ministry’s take on these terrorist attacks?

💬 Maria Zakharova: Given the go-ahead from Washington to kill civilians with Western weapons, the Kiev regime has once more revealed its inhumane Nazi nature.

On the morning of June 7, another cynical and bloody crime occurred: a terrorist attack on residential areas of Lugansk carried out by American ATACMS missiles.

Following this barbaric attack, three people lost their lives, while 35 others, including three children, sustained injuries, and destruction ensued. <...>

Later that evening, the Kiev regime targeted the village of Sadovoye in the Kherson Region, resulting in the loss of 19 lives, according to preliminary reports.

❗️ It’s imperative for the global community to understand that these were meticulously orchestrated and premeditated terrorist acts intended for intimidation. NATO’s involvement is glaringly apparent.

We are fully aware that the flight missions of long-range missiles, including ATACMS, are formed with direct involvement from American, British, and other Western specialists.

The indiscriminate and brutal shelling of populated areas in Donbass, the Belgorod, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, Crimea, and other Russian territories, along with the ruthless killing of civilians, lacks any military rationale. Instead, it underscores the desperation of Zelensky’s neo-Nazi regime, entangled in terrorism, lawlessness, corruption, and cynicism. Driven by impotent rage, they aim to kill as many Russians as possible.

☝️ It’s evident that amidst military setbacks, Zelensky aims to prove to his overseas masters that he is ready to commit any atrocity to safeguard their interests and his own survival.

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🇷🇺🇱🇰 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Ali Sabry hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #BRICS Ministerial

📍 Nizhny Novgorod, June 10

#RussiaSriLanka

🇷🇺🇰🇿 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #BRICS Ministerial

📍 Nizhny Novgorod, June 10

#RussiaKazakhstan

🇷🇺🇸🇦 Sergey Lavrov and Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #BRICS Ministerial

📍 Nizhny Novgorod, June 10

❗️ Joint Statement of the BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations (Nizhny Novgorod, June 10, 2024)

📄 Full Statement

1. The BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations met on 10 June 2024 in Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Federation. They exchanged views on major global and regional trends and issues. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the framework of #BRICS Strategic Partnership under the three pillars of cooperation – politics and security, economy and finance, cultural and people-to-people exchanges. They reaffirmed their commitment to the BRICS spirit featuring mutual respect and understanding, equality, solidarity, openness, inclusiveness, and consensus.

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5. Mindful of the 2023 Johannesburg II Declaration the Ministers voiced their support for a comprehensive reform of the #UnitedNations, including its Security Council, with a view to making it more democratic, representative, effective and efficient, and to increase the representation of developing countries in the Council’s memberships so that it can adequately respond to prevailing global challenges and support the legitimate aspirations of emerging and developing countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America, including BRICS countries, to play a greater role in international affairs, in particular in the United Nations, including its Security Council. They also recognized the legitimate aspirations of African countries, reflected in the Ezulwini Consensus and Sirte Declaration.

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15. The Ministers recognised the negative impact on the world economy and sustainable development from unilateral approaches in breach of international law. They expressed concern about the use of unilateral coercive measures, which are incompatible with the principles of the Charter of the UN and produce negative effects on economic growth, trade, energy, health and food security notably in the developing world.

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32. The Ministers recalled their national positions concerning the situation in and around #Ukraine as expressed in the appropriate fora, including the UN Security Council and UN General Assembly. They noted with appreciation relevant proposals of mediation and good offices aimed at peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

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34. The Ministers expressed grave concern at the deterioration of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in particular the unprecedented escalation of violence in the #Gaza Strip as a result of the Israeli military operation that led to mass civilian displacement, death and casualties, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. In this regard they called for the effective implementation of the relevant UNGA resolutions and UNSC resolution 2720 and for immediate safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance at scale directly to the Palestinian civilian population throughout the Gaza Strip <…>

36. The Ministers reiterated that the principle “African solutions to African problems” should continue to serve as the basis for conflict resolution on the African continent. In this regard they reiterated their support for African peace efforts on the continent, including those undertaken by the African Union, and African sub-regional organisations.

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40. The Ministers expressed strong condemnation of any acts of #terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed. They strongly condemned the inhumane terrorist attack on 22 March 2024 at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow <…>

54. The Ministers expressed their full support to the Russian Federation’s BRICS Chairship in 2024 under the theme “Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security”. They expressed their commitment to working together to ensure the success of the XVI BRICS Summit. The Ministers looked forward to the next BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs/International Relations meeting to be held on the margins of UNGA79 and hosted by Brazil as incoming Chair of BRICS in 2025.