Embassy Comment

We have taken note of a new article by Jonathan Eyal, “Ukraine Accepts a Ceasefire, but Does Russia Want One?”, published in today’s issue of The Straits Times.

We will respond to the author’s speculations with the words of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov from his interview with the US bloggers Mario Nawfal, Larry C. Johnson, and Andrew Napolitano in Moscow on March 12, 2025:

“Europe and the UK they certainly want this to continue. The way they received Zelensky in London after the scandal in Washington, it's an indication that they want to raise the stakes and they are preparing something to pressure the Donald Trump administration back into some aggressive action against Russia. <...>

We know what must be done and that we would not compromise the fate of the people. It's not about the territories, it's about the people who were deprived of their history by law. Territories are important only because people live on these territories. The people who live on the territories are descendants of those, who for hundreds of years were building Odessa & other cities on those very lands who were building ports, roads, who were founding those lands and who associated with the history of this land. <...> ”.

See for yourself who really wants peace in Ukraine and who is just speculating about it as a pretext for continued bloodshed.

Excerpts from the joint news conference with President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko

Vladimir Putin: As for Ukraine’s readiness for a ceasefire, I will tell you how I view it, of course.

But I would like to start by thanking the President of the United States, Mr Trump, for paying so much attention to the Ukraine settlement. We all have enough of our own domestic affairs to attend to. But many leaders of states, among them the President of the People’s Republic of China, the Prime Minister of India, the Presidents of Brazil and the Republic of South Africa, are addressing this issue and give it a lot of their time. We are grateful to all of them for that, because this activity is aimed at achieving a noble mission – the mission of ending hostilities and loss of life. This is my first point.

Second. We agree with the proposals to cease hostilities but proceed from the assumption that this cessation should lead to long-term peace and eliminate the root causes of this crisis.

Now, on Ukraine’s readiness to cease the hostilities. You know, on the face of it, the US-Ukraine meeting in Saudi Arabia may look like the Ukrainian side made this decision under pressure from the United States. In fact, I am absolutely convinced that the Ukrainian side should have asked the Americans for this decision most emphatically, in view of the situation evolving on the ground, as has just been mentioned here.

<...>

We are also in favour of it, but there are nuances. What are they? How will other issues along the entire contact line be solved? It is almost 2,000 kilometres long. As you know, Russian troops are advancing in almost all areas of combat contact. Conditions are also very favourable there for us to block rather large units there.

So, how would these 30 days be used? For forced mobilisation to continue in Ukraine? For more weapons to be supplied there? For retraining the mobilised units? Or would none of this be done?

If so, how will issues related to control and verification be addressed? How can we guarantee and receive guarantees that nothing like this would happen? How will control procedures be organised? I hope everyone understands the complexity of all this at the level of common sense. These are all serious issues.

🇷🇺 1️⃣1️⃣ years ago, on March 16, 2014, the historic referendum was held in Crimea – residents of the peninsula unequivocally voted FOR reuniting with their historical homeland, Russia.

🗳 Participation in the referendum was both voluntary and free. An impressive 96.77 percent of the Crimean population voted in favour of becoming part of Russia, with a blasting turnout of 83.1 percent. In Sevastopol, 95.6 percent supported the move, with a turnout of 89.5 percent.

The Crimean referendum was monitored by 135 international observers from 23 countries, alongside 1,240 observers from Crimean organisations, and was reported on by 623 journalists representing 169 media outlets.

🎙 From the briefing by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (March 13, 2025):

On that day, Crimean citizens made a free, conscious and independent choice regarding their own and their children’s future. This was a fair and long-awaited decision for Crimeans as well as for all citizens of our country.

✍️ Following the free expression of will by the Crimean people, the Republic of Crimea signed an international treaty with Russia on March 18, 2014, formalising its accession.

Over the past 11 years, the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol have become fully integrated into the political, legal and economic framework of Russia. Significant infrastructure projects have been undertaken, including the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait, the Crimea-Kuban gas pipeline, the Tavrida federal motorway, Simferopol airport, and hundreds of other healthcare, educational, social and engineering facilities.

☝️ Interfaith accord and harmony are preserved in the peninsula, interests of all ethnic groups are taken into account. A complete national and cultural autonomy for the Crimean Tatars has been established, with their representatives participating in local government. The Crimean Tatar language has been recognised as a state language alongside Russian and Ukrainian.

Economic breakthrough and overall advancements achieved over these years, coupled with an unprecedented rise in living standards, the development of infrastructure, and the established interfaith peace in the peninsula, all reaffirm that the choice made by the Crimeans 11 years ago was the only correct one.

#CrimeaIsRussia #TogetherForever

Visit of members of the United Nations Association of Russia to the Embassy of Russia in Singapore

On 13 March 2025, representatives and students from MGIMO University and E.M. Primakov School (Gymnasium), members of the United Nations Association of Russia, visited the Embassy of Russia in Singapore during their participation in the Model United Nations 2025.

During the visit, the students had the opportunity to meet with the Ambassador of Russia to Singapore, H.E. Nikolay R. Kudashev, as well as other Embassy officials. They were informed about the current state of Russia-Singapore relations and gained valuable insights into diplomatic career paths through the personal experiences shared by the speakers. The representatives of the Gymnasium expressed their interest in developing educational contacts with Singaporean partners.

This visit served as an important educational initiative, allowing students to deepen their understanding of diplomatic practices, expand their knowledge of international relations, and enhance their interest in global affairs.

О визите делегации РАС ООН в Посольство России в Сингапуре

13 марта 2025 года студенты МГИМО МИД России, учащиеся Гимназии им. Е.М. Примакова, члены делегации Российской ассоциации содействия ООН (РАС ООН), посетили Посольство России в Сингапуре в рамках участия в международной Модели ООН Model United Nations 2025.

В ходе визита студенты и школьники встретились с Чрезвычайным и Полномочным Послом России в Сингапуре Н.Р. Кудашевым, а также сотрудниками Посольства. Гимназисты узнали о текущем состоянии российско-сингапурских отношений, а также получили ценные рекомендации по построению дипломатической карьеры на основе личного опыта российских дипломатов. Представители Гимназии выразили заинтересованность в развитии образовательных контактов с сингапурскими партнёрами.

Встреча стала значимой образовательной инициативой, позволившей учащимся лучше понять специфику дипломатической работы, расширить знания в области мировой политики и подготовиться к участию в международной Модели ООН.

#CrimeaIsRussia

🗓 11 years ago — on March 18, 2014 — President of Russia Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of Crimea Sergey Aksyonov, Chairman of the State Council of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov and Head of Sevastopol Alexey Chalyi signed the Agreement formalising Crimea’s reunification with the Russian Federation.

🗳 This historic moment occurred just two days after the all-Crimean referendum had been held.

96.77% of Crimeans and 95.6% of Sevastopol residents supported reunification with Russia. It was the very embodiment of the right of peoples for self-determination and a true triumph of democracy.

💬 President Putin:

In people’s hearts and minds, Crimea has always been an inseparable part of Russia. This firm conviction is based on truth and justice and was passed from generation to generation, over time, under any circumstances (from the Address by the President of the Russian Federation on March 18, 2014).

The ensuing developments, including attempts by the post-coup Ukrainian authorities to punish the peninsula's population, prove that the decision of Crimeans to reunite with Russia was the only way to go. Having made their choice to be with their historical homeland, with Russia, the residents of Crimea avoided the fate of the many Russians and Russian-speakers, did not fall victim to the Russophobic Kiev regime.

Instead, the peninsula and its people have flourished, overcoming decades of neglect and decay under Ukraine, becoming one of the most rapidly developing region worldwide.

💬 Sergey Lavrov:

The question of who Crimea and Sevastopol belong to is closed. The peninsula is an integral part of the Russian Federation (from the address of Russia's Foreign Minister on the 10th anniversary of the Crimean Spring, March 16, 2014).

#TogetherForever

🇷🇺🇺🇸📞 Presidents of Russia & the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump spoke over the phone (March 18, 2025)

The Leaders continued their detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation surrounding Ukraine. Vladimir Putin extended gratitude to Donald Trump for his striving to achieve the noble goal of ending the hostilities and loss of life.

Confirming his fundamental commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the President of Russia expressed willingness to thoroughly work out possible solutions in cooperation with the American partners, aimed at reaching a settlement that would be comprehensive, reliable, and lasting, and, naturally, take into account the essential need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis, as well as Russia's legitimate security interests.

Concerning US President's proposal to declare a 30-day ceasefire, the Russian Side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire frontline, as well as the need to stop the forced mobilisation in Ukraine and rearming the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It was noted that some serious risks exist pertaining to the intractability of the Kiev regime which had repeatedly sabotaged and violated negotiated agreements. An emphasis was made on barbaric acts of terrorism committed by Ukrainian militants against civilians residing in the Kursk Region.

It was pointed out that a complete cessation of providing Kiev with foreign military aid and intelligence must become the key condition for preventing an escalation of the conflict and making progress towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means.

Referring to Donald Trump's recent appeal to spare the lives of the Ukrainian servicemen surrounded in the Kursk Region, Vladimir Putin confirmed that the Russian Side was willing to embrace humanitarian motives and guaranteed that the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine would live and be treated fairly in accordance with Russian legislation and international law in the event of surrender.

During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to mutually refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded favourably to the proposal and immediately gave the relevant order to the Russian troops.

Just as favourable was the Russian President's response to Donald Trump's suggestion to implement a well-known proposal regarding the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. The Leaders agreed to begin talks to further work out specific details of such an agreement.

Vladimir Putin made it known that on March 19, the Russian and Ukrainian sides would carry out an exchange of prisoners, each swapping 175 people. Additionally, as a gesture of goodwill, 23 heavily wounded Ukrainian soldiers currently receiving aid at Russian medical facilities will also be repatriated.

The Leaders confirmed their intention to continue efforts aimed at reaching a settlement in Ukraine bilaterally, with due regard in particular to the aforementioned proposals by the US President. For this purpose, a Russian and an American expert task forces are now being formed.

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump also addressed some other international issues, including the situation in the Middle East and in the Red Sea region. Joint efforts will be made to stabilise the situation in the crisis spots and establish cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and global security. This will, in turn, contribute to improving the overall ambiance of relations between Russia and the United States. One positive example is the recent vote in the UN on a resolution on the Ukraine conflict, in which the two countries aligned their stances.

The Leaders expressed mutual interest in normalising the bilateral ties in light of the special responsibility for ensuring global security and stability borne by both Russia and the United States. <...>

🤝 The Presidents agreed to stay in touch on all the issues raised.

#RussiaUS

Embassy comment

We have read yet another scaremongering piece by The Straits Times correspondent J. Eyal, which was published in today's issue under the sensational title ‘Trump’s call with Putin to broker Ukraine ceasefire a clear flop’.

In our opinion, the piece is an example of blatant bias aimed at discrediting and demonizing the Russian-American negotiation process on Ukraine, casting a shadow over the leaders of Russia and the United States, and rehabilitating the Kiev authorities and their supporters. Most crucially, it seeks to instill a sense of hopelessness in readers. This narrative serves only those who, like the author, refuse to acknowledge any path out of the dead-end of the hybrid war waged against Russia by the collective West and those intent on its defeat. Let us respond to the author with the excerpts from the text of the official statement of the press service of the Russian President Vladimir Putin about his telephone conversation with the US President Trump on March 18, 2025:

The leaders continued their detailed and frank exchange of views on the situation surrounding Ukraine. Vladimir Putin extended gratitude to Donald Trump for his striving to achieve the noble goal of ending the hostilities and loss of life.

Confirming his fundamental commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict, the President of Russia expressed willingness to thoroughly work out possible solutions in cooperation with the American partners, aimed at reaching a settlement that would be comprehensive, reliable, and lasting, and, naturally, take into account the essential need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis, as well as Russia's legitimate security interests.

Concerning US President's proposal to declare a 30-day ceasefire, the Russian side outlined a number of significant points regarding ensuring effective control over a possible ceasefire along the entire frontline, as well as the need to stop the forced mobilisation in Ukraine and rearming the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was noted that some serious risks exist pertaining to the intractability of the Kiev regime which had repeatedly sabotaged and violated negotiated agreements. An emphasis was made on barbaric acts of terrorism committed by Ukrainian militants against civilians residing in the Kursk Region.

It was pointed out that a complete cessation of providing Kiev with foreign military aid and intelligence must become the key condition for preventing an escalation of the conflict and making progress towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means.

Referring to Donald Trump's recent appeal to spare the lives of the Ukrainian servicemen surrounded in the Kursk Region, Vladimir Putin confirmed that the Russian side was willing to embrace humanitarian motives and guaranteed that the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine would live and be treated fairly in accordance with Russian legislation and international law in the event of surrender.

During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to mutually refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure for 30 days. Vladimir Putin responded favourably to the proposal and immediately gave the relevant order to the Russian troops.

We encourage readers to explore this document’s content (in full at http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/76477) and form their own independent opinion on the Russian-American negotiation process — its progress, challenges, and problems. This will make it clear who is truly obstructing peace in Ukraine and Europe as a whole.

As for the esteemed Mr Eyal, it is regrettable that someone who presents himself as an international columnist would deliver such a subpar analysis — one that not only lacks depth but also includes disrespectful remarks about the leaders of two great powers.

🎙 Excerpt from President of Russia Vladimir Putin's remarks at the expanded meeting of the Russian Federation Prosecutor General’s Office Board.

💬 President Putin: Under the law of the Russian Federation, all Ukrainian military personnel and foreign mercenaries who entered our territory and committed crimes against civilians, shall be, and are, legally classified as terrorists.

Their atrocities must be identified, documented, and meticulously investigated. I instruct prosecution bodies, including military prosecutors, to fully deploy this work in liberated territories – in Sudzha and other localities – in coordination with relevant services.

These criminals, punishers, and those who issued unlawful orders and abused civilians must be identified and brought to justice.

Read in full

#TeamLavrov

On the 75th Anniversary of Sergey Lavrov, prominent figures from the worlds of culture, sports, and science recited his famous poem "The Ambassador’s Decree" sincerely congratulating the Minister on his milestone and confirming that not only his remarkable achievements in diplomacy but also the heartfelt words of his works continue to inspire and resonate in people's hearts 👆

Sergey Lavrov's poetic journey began in his student years. In 2004, his poems were included in a poetic anthology published to mark the 60th Anniversary of MGIMO, for which he is also the author of the anthem.

📄 One of the most well-known poems by the head of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is "The Ambassador’s Decree" written in 2004.

The work gained wide recognition, spreading far beyond the walls of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was highly appreciated by the literary community. In 2016, Sergey Lavrov became a laureate of the national "Imperial Culture" award for this poem, receiving recognition in the category "Events. Feats. People."

#WeLOVErov

💬 Sergey Lavrov himself has repeatedly emphasized that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs cherishes poetic traditions:

The work of a diplomat is somewhat like the work of a writer. As is common knowledge, our main tool is the word, which we use to defend our country’s interests. <...> The Ministry on Smolenskaya Square cherishes the poetic tradition. A number of its employees, myself included, try their hand at writing.

(from Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s greetings to participants in the Diplomatic Club’s meeting on March 30, 2017)

🎥 RT news channel covered the "Exquisite Elegance: Celebrating Sarafan Design" exhibition held in Singapore on March 7-9. The event showcased traditional sarafan and kokoshnik designs. Watch the report for highlights.

🎥 Новостное агентство RT подготовило репортаж о выставке Exquisite Elegance: Celebrating Sarafan Design, прошедшей в Сингапуре с 7 по 9 марта с.г. На мероприятии вниманию гостей были представлены традиционные сарафаны и кокошники, фотовыставка и тематические лекции и выступления.

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with "Krasnaya Zvezda" (Red Star) Media Holding Company for the film "Diplomacy as a Way of Life: I Prefer Fair Play" (March 21, 2025)
Read in full

💬 Sergey Lavrov: <...> The leadership focused [in 1994] on creating proper conditions for deepening partnership with the West. As it turned out later - in fact, it became clear fairly quickly, but almost all our politicians and citizens found it out later - our role in that “partnership” was that of the “little brother.” We were assigned this role. This, of course, was a huge mistake.

Many Western analysts are saying in their memoirs that there was no point in expanding NATO and keeping Russia out of the picture. However, our goal was to join the G7. Even in the 2000s, we did not give up on the idea of expanding cooperation with the West.

❓ Question: Back in the day when you worked at the UN - I’m talking about 1994-1996 - did the position of our leadership sat well with you in terms of how Russia should be represented in the international arena?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: <...> Our leadership was primarily focused on the West, notably G7-Russia relations. The leadership focused on creating proper conditions for deepening partnership with the West. As it turned out later - in fact, it became clear fairly quickly, but almost all our politicians and citizens found it out later - our role in that “partnership” was that of the “little brother.” We were assigned this role. This, of course, was a huge mistake.

<...>

Starting with Yevgeny Primakov, our foreign policy began to change towards multipolarity. It was not designated in these terms back then, but Yevgeny Primakov introduced it in the legitimate diplomatic lexicon and formally advocated for promoting the interests of a multipolar world.

<...>

The UN Charter requires no revision. It remains contemporaneous. It must simply be respected and implemented. When Kosovo declared independence without a referendum, this was hailed as self-determination. Yet when Crimea conducted a transparent referendum with hundreds of European observers, parliament members, and public figures in attendance, it was decried as a violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Duplicity, cynicism, hypocrisy – these are the forces we confront.

Key points:

• Multipolarity means you should be interested in addressing your economic and other needs, such as security, but you never clam up or refuse to talk to any country in the world. Listening to what someone else has to say doesn’t put anyone under any obligation. Often enough, a simple contact, a conversation can help identify new areas of mutually beneficial interaction. This is fully consistent with the UN Charter.

• Our ideas on every matter in global politics will never align [with the US]. We acknowledged this in Riyadh. The Americans acknowledged this, too. In fact, they were the ones who said this. Common sense suggests that it is foolish not to use the points where our interests align in order to translate then into some practical actions and obtain mutually beneficial results.

• Where our interests do not align (US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said this), it is the duty of responsible powers to prevent this divergence from deteriorating into confrontation. This is absolutely our position.

• Zelensky made a 180-degree turn from someone who came to power with peaceful slogans or slogans like “leave Russian alone; it is our common language and our common culture” (this can be found on the internet) and, six months later, transformed into a full Nazi and, as President of Russia Vladimir Putin rightly said, a traitor to the Jewish people.

• No other language has been subjected to such aggression [as Russian]. But imagine if Switzerland were to ban French or German, or Ireland were to ban English. The Irish there now want “some” self-determination. If the Irish tried to ban English now, they would have shaken all the UN “pillars” demanding Ireland’s condemnation.

❗️ Diplomacy mirrors life: complex, yet we must endure and labour on.

⚡️Main outcomes of the Russia and United States expert groups meeting(March 25, 2025)

1. In line with the agreement reached by the presidents of Russia and the United States, the Russian and American sides agreed to provide for the implementation of the Black Sea Initiative, which includes ensuring safe navigation, eliminating the use of force, and preventing the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea, while adopting appropriate control measures by inspecting such vessels.

2. The United States will help restore Russia's access to the world market for agricultural and fertiliser exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.
Note:

Clauses 1 & 2 will come into force following:
the removal of sanctions imposed on Rosselkhozbank (Russian Agricultural Bank) and other financial institutions involved in ensuring international food trade (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers, their reconnection to SWIFT, and opening of relevant correspondent accounts;
the removal of restrictions imposed on trade finance operations;
the removal of sanctions imposed on companies producing and exporting food (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers, as well as restrictions banning insurance companies from working with food cargoes (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers;
the removal of restrictions on servicing ships in ports and sanctions against ships flying the flag of Russia, if they are involved in food trade (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers;
the removal of restrictions on supplies to the Russian Federation of agricultural machinery and other goods used in the production of food (including fish and fish products) and fertilisers.

3. Russia and the United States agreed to develop measures for implementing the agreement between the two countries' presidents to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine for 30 days starting on March 18, 2025, with an option to extend the agreement or to withdraw from it in the event of non-compliance by either party.

4. Russia and the United States welcome the good offices of third countries with a view toward supporting the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements.

5. Russia and the United States will continue working toward achieving a durable and lasting peace.#RussiaUnitedStates

🎙 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with Channel One (Moscow, March 25, 2025)

Key talking points
• We will need clear-cut guarantees [regarding any agreements]. Given the disappointing experiences of our past agreements with Kiev, the guarantees can only exist in the form of a directive coming from Washington to Zelensky and his team to do so and so and not otherwise. I think our US partners are receptive of this signal.

• Europe, led by Germany - starting with Ursula von der Leyen and everyone else on that list - is beginning to seriously ponder remilitarisation that will set them back outlandish amounts running into hundreds of billions of euros in a situation where its economy and social sphere are circling the drain after the Biden administration let them off the leash and sent them to wage war against the Russian Federation.

• Europe is not only disregarding Donald Trump and his team’s assessment that territorial issues must be resolved outside NATO’s influence – it is actively encouraging Zelensky’s stance.

• We sensed before the Riyadh meeting that the Americans wanted to place Russians and Ukrainians in adjacent rooms, engaging in shuttle diplomacy to ultimately produce a coordinated document. However, we have reiterated what our presidents discussed – our unequivocal stance, which has been agreed by our presidents, is that progress must be reliable and there must not be any unsubstantiated documents.

• Zelensky knows that his days are numbered, and that his positive image he has been cultivating among the people has long since faded, with the exception of those (quite numerous) who hold radical, far-right and revenge-seeking Bandera views.

• The fact that we have resumed dialogue [with the USA] despite all our differences signals a return to normalcy. We need this kind of dialogue, especially since it is not limited to Ukraine.

Read in full

🎙 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with Vesti news programme (Moscow, March 26, 2025)

❓ Question: What core geopolitical principles were established by the decisions of the Yalta Conference?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: The principles were straightforward. I recently addressed this topic and even authored an article <...> The legal embodiment of Yalta and Potsdam resides in the United Nations Charter. Who could possibly oppose its principles? <...>

The imperative remains to uphold equality and the right of nations to self-determination. This very principle underpinned the decolonisation process that unfolded fifteen years after the UN establishment and the Charter’s ratification. African peoples will ultimately conclude that those governing them from metropolitan capitals – through “overseers on the ground” – fail to represent their interests. <...>

Plainly, Ukraine’s current leadership – manipulated by Western puppeteers – fails to represent vast swathes of its population. Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya constitute settled matters, particularly given how referenda outcomes in these territories have been enshrined in our Constitution.
The principle of territorial integrity, already addressed, demands reciprocity: respect your people if you expect your borders to be respected. Do not prohibit native languages, historical memory, or ancestral child-rearing traditions. This, too, resonates with the UN Charter, which mandates respect for human rights irrespective of race, sex, language, or religion. <...>

Ursula von der Leyen, alluding to President Donald Trump’s return to power in the United States, recently claimed European values (democracy, human rights, rule of law) face grave peril. This comes from an official who wilfully ignores laws exterminating the Russian language, media, culture, and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church – sister institution to Russia’s Orthodox Church – enacted by the Nazi regime of Vladimir Zelensky and his predecessor Petr Poroshenko.

Western hypocrisy reveals one truth: refusal to accept the emergent multipolar era. All nations must stand equal, mutual respect must prevail, and competition must be honourable. When the Soviet Union dissolved, the West lectured us about a new epoch and “end of history.” We are all on the same page now: globalisation, fair competition, and presumption of innocence. These principles now lie discarded.

In recent pronouncements by Ursula von der Leyen and other European Union leaders (I do not intend to offend all, but the majority), it is conspicuously evident that, irrespective of circumstances, “the way we interpret democracy is how it must be.” In Ukraine, it is permissible to prohibit the Russian language. In Switzerland, envisage a ban on French, or in Ireland, English (currently, the English and the Irish are at odds there). Were the English language to be banned in Ireland, one would witness an outcry reaching the heavens. Numerous analogous examples abound.

It was determined that in Romania, Călin Georgescu would not run for the presidency, notwithstanding the Constitutional Court of the country having cleared him of all suspicions. Yet the Central Electoral Commission declared: “We do not care about the Constitutional Court; the President has ordered us not to allow ‘this one’ to proceed because he does not denounce Vladimir Putin and Russia.”

The genetic inclination of the West to perpetually perceive itself as a hegemon thus continues to undermine the foundations of the Yalta-Potsdam system. This is a profoundly just system.

Read in full

#Arctic4You

🎙 Remarks by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin at a plenary session of the VI International Arctic Forum "The Arctic: Territory of Dialogue".

💬 Vladimir Putin: Russia is the largest Arctic power.

We have consistently advocated for equitable cooperation in the region, encompassing scientific research, biodiversity protection, climate issues, emergencies response, and, of course, the economic and industrial development of the Arctic. We are prepared to collaborate not only with Arctic states but with all who, like us, share responsibility for ensuring a stable and sustainable future for the planet and are capable of adopting balanced decisions for decades to come. <...>

The role and importance of the Arctic for Russia and for the entire world are obviously growing. Regrettably, the geopolitical competition and fighting for positions in this region are also escalating. <...>

As to Greenland, this is an issue that concerns two specific nations and has nothing to do with us. But at the same time, of course, we are concerned about the fact that NATO countries are increasingly often designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts and are practicing the use of troops in these conditions, including by their “new recruits” – Finland and Sweden, with whom, incidentally, until recently we had no problems at all. <...>

Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic. However, we are closely monitoring developments in the region, formulating an appropriate response strategy, enhancing the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces, and modernising military infrastructure facilities.

☝️ We will not tolerate any encroachments on our country’s sovereignty and will steadfastly safeguard our national interests. By upholding peace and stability in the Arctic region, we will ensure its long-term socio-economic development, improve the quality of life for its residents, and preserve its unique natural environment.

Key points:

• Over the past decade, cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route – spanning from the Kara Gates Strait to the Bering Strait – has substantially increased. In 2014, a mere four million tonnes of cargo were transported via this corridor. By last year, that figure had risen to nearly 38 million tonnes – five times the Soviet-era record.

• The Northern Sea Route is poised to become a pivotal segment of the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor, stretching from St Petersburg through Murmansk to Vladivostok.

• Cargo shipments along the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor are set to increase on the back of growing minerals production and the advanced processing of these resources right here in the Arctic, and due to rising international transits.

• Russia already operates the world’s biggest icebreaker fleet. We must consolidate our leadership in this sector by building new-generation icebreakers, including nuclear icebreakers. Today, only Russia has them – no other country has a nuclear icebreaker fleet.

• Plans are in place to increase the capacity and turnover of our northern ports through the introduction of innovative and environmentally friendly solutions, including unmanned and automated cargo handling equipment. <...> I would like to add that our partners from Belarus, China, the United Arab Emirates and other countries are showing keen interest in [the Murmansk transport hub] and in the development of the Arctic transport infrastructure in general.

• The regions of Siberia, the Urals, and Russia’s North-West will receive direct access to the North, to the Arctic ports, which will lessen the load on the Trans-Siberian Railway and promote effective use of sea transport. In addition, there will be new points of access to the Arctic from the North-South corridor, which connects us with Central Asia and the Gulf states.

Read in full