🗓 20-22 октября заместитель Министра иностранных дел Российской Федерации С.В.Вершинин во главе российской межведомственной делегации принял участие в 10-й Сингапурской международной кибернеделе и организованной в её рамках специальной сессии Министерской конференции АСЕАН по кибербезопасности с диалоговыми партнёрами.

Участниками мероприятия подчеркивалась важность осознания глобального характера возрастающих угроз в цифровой среде. Дана высокая оценка итогам завершившей свою деятельность Рабочей группы открытого состава (#РГОС) #ООН по вопросам безопасности в сфере использования ИКТ и самих ИКТ. Обозначен настрой на совместную работу в рамках создаваемого на смену РГОС постоянного Всемирного механизма по достижениям в области ИКТ в контексте международной безопасности и продвижению ответственного поведения государств в сфере использования ИКТ. Отмечена значимость подписания Конвенции ООН против киберпреступности в Ханое, Вьетнам (25-26 октября).

«На полях» Форума проведены двусторонние встречи С.В.Вершинина с заместителем Генерального секретаря ООН, Высоким представителем ООН по вопросам разоружения И.Накамицу, Государственным министром иностранных дел, торговли и промышленности Сингапура Ган Сьяо Хуан, Постоянным секретарем МИД Сингапура А.Чуа, исполнительным директором Национального агентства по кибербезопасности Сингапура Д.Ко, постоянным представителем Сингапура при ООН Б.Гафуром и главой департамента кибербезопасности МИД Бразилии Л.Ш.Кальзой.

Состоявшиеся заседания и двусторонние контакты подтвердили восприимчивость стран АСЕАН к основным элементам российских подходов к международной информационной безопасности (#МИБ). В частности, были поддержаны аргументы России о центральной роли ООН в переговорном процессе по вопросам безопасности в сфере использования ИКТ, включая искусственный интеллект, необходимости выработки юридически обязывающих норм для предотвращения и урегулирования конфликтов в цифровой сфере на основе принципов суверенного равенства и невмешательства во внутренние дела государств.

🗓 On October 20-22, Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin, heading the Russian interagency delegation, took part in the 10th Singapore International Cyber Week and the Special Session of the ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity with Dialogue Partners held within its framework.

Participants of the event emphasized the importance of recognizing the global nature of growing threats in the digital environment. The results of the now-concluded UN Open-Ended Working Group (#OEWG) focused on the security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) were highly commended. A commitment was expressed to work jointly within the framework of the forthcoming Permanent Global Mechanism on ICT Security and Responsible State Behaviour in Cyberspace, which will replace the OEWG. The signing of the UN Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi, Viet Nam (October 25-26), was noted as an important milestone.

On the sidelines of the Forum, DFM Vershinin held bilateral meetings with UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, Singapore’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade & Industry, Gan Siow Huang, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Albert Chua, Chief Executive of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore David Koh, Permanent Representative of Singapore to the UN, Burhan Gafoor, and Head of the Cyber Defense and Security Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Larissa Calza.

The meetings and bilateral contacts confirmed ASEAN countries’ receptiveness to the key elements of Russia’s approaches to international information security (#IIS). In particular, Russia’s arguments were supported regarding the central role of the UN in the negotiation process on ICT security issues, including artificial intelligence, as well as the need to develop legally binding norms to prevent and resolve conflicts in cyberspace based on the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.

🎙 Excerpts from President of Russia Vladimir Putin's answers to media questions (Moscow, October 24, 2025):

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❓ Question: Yesterday, we heard yet another statement by the US President regarding him either meeting with you or not meeting with you, and the Ukraine crisis, too. Almost at the same time, the US imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies.

💬 President Putin: The fact that they cancelled imports of our toilet bowls will cost them dearly. I think they will need them if they continue the same policy toward the Russian Federation.

As for the statements of the President of the United States, what can I say? In the most recent telephone conversation, both the meeting itself and the location for it were proposed by the American Side. I agreed with the idea and expressed my views in this regard pointing out that, without a doubt, such meetings must be well prepared.

<...>

I have read the statement that the US President decided to cancel or rather to postpone this meeting. What can I say? Dialogue is always better than confrontation, disputes, or, even more so, war. Therefore, we have always supported dialogue, and we continue to do so.

Now, regarding the new sanctions. First, there is nothing new about them. Clearly, they will have serious implications, but they will not significantly affect our economic well-being.

<...>

As for the political aspect — It implies an attempt to put pressure on Russia. But no self-respecting country and no self-respecting people ever make decisions under pressure. Without a doubt, Russia has the privilege of considering itself among those self-respecting countries and peoples.

Speaking of the political aspect this, of course, represents an unfriendly step with regard to Russia. That much is clear, and it does not help strengthen Russia-US relations, which have just begun to recover. Of course, actions like this by the US administration are damaging to Russia-US relations. <...>

At present, the United States produces approximately 13.5 million barrels per day, ranking first. Saudi Arabia is second with around 10 million barrels, and the Russian Federation is third with roughly 9.5 million barrels per day. However, the United States consumes 20 million barrels. They sell some and purchase even more, primarily from Canada. Thus, they produce 13.5 million but consume 20 million.

Meanwhile, the Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia sell more oil and petroleum products. I may be mistaken in some details, perhaps mixing something up on the spot, but the general order aligns with reality. And what is that reality? Saudi Arabia exports approximately 9 million tonnes of oil and petroleum products to external markets, while the Russian Federation exports 7.5 million. That is to say, our contribution to the global energy balance is very significant, exceedingly so. Currently, this balance serves both consumers’ and producers’ interests. Disrupting this balance — that is an inglorious task, including for those attempting to do so.

❓ Question: Regarding the use of Western long-range weapons, how do you personally assess the evidently contradictory signals coming from Washington? The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal reported that the US has lifted a key restriction on the use of such weapons. Then Trump stated that Tomahawks would not be supplied after all. Zelensky once again claimed that Ukraine will receive weapons capable of striking targets up to 3'000 kilometres away. Is this still an escalation?

💬 President Putin: This is an attempt at escalation. If such weapons are used to strike Russian territory, the response will be extremely serious, if not staggering.

They would be wise to consider that carefully.

🗓 On October 23, Sochi (Russia) hosted the 5th #ASEAN-Russia Dialogue on ICT Security-Related Issues under the co-chairmanship of Russia 🇷🇺 and Myanmar 🇲🇲 on the sidelines of the Kuban CSC-2025.

🔹️The meeting reiterated the willingness of Russia and ASEAN Member States to promote interagency cooperation in finding effective solutions of issues related to the ICT security.

🔹️Particular attention was paid to the issues of combating the use of ICT for criminal purposes, capacity building through personnel training, exchanging experience, strengthening technical equipment and improving software and hardware.

🔹️The parties welcomed the upcoming signing of the UN Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi, October 25-26) and confirmed their readiness to strengthen cooperation on international information security within the UN and its specialized agencies, including the International Telecommunication Union, as well as at regional venues.

🔹️It was agreed to hold the next round of the ASEAN-Russia Dialogue on ICT Security-Related Issues next year.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement following a high-level Plenary Session of the 3rd Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security (Minsk, October 28, 2025)

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💬 Sergey Lavrov: The conference is steadily moving towards becoming a promising discussion and expert platform to develop concrete recommendations. From my standpoint, the fact that delegates from public authorities, as well as experts, political scientists, and civil society figures have come together for this event is important and makes it possible to leverage ideas coming from civil society that genuinely resonate with the people.

An increasing number of people across the Eurasian continent recognise the importance of removing obstacles that are being artificially put up on the way towards sustainable, independent, and effective economic growth, improvements in the social sphere, and logistical infrastructure of this vast and resource-rich continent.

President Lukashenko’s speech was followed by speeches delivered by foreign ministers of Hungary, Myanmar, and the DPRK, as well as the Special Representative of China for Eurasian Affairs. Still to come are speeches by ranking representatives from India, Iran, the UAE, Cambodia, and secretaries general of the #SCO, the #CSTO, and the #CICA. Over time, these integration groups will, through the natural process of restoring connections and developing joint projects, eventually become part of Eurasian architecture relying on an economic foundation and a logistical dimension, which is a solid basis for building security architecture.

Forty-eight delegations are represented here. The participants will use various panels to discuss every angle of the pressing goals of Eurasian development.

We are doing our best to promote President Putin’s initiative to create Eurasian security architecture within the context of our efforts to create the Greater Eurasian Partnership. We are using this tentative term to make sure the continent has platforms it can use to freely discuss, examine and bounce ideas off one another.

You may have heard our statement. Many in the West recognise the importance of Eurasia, but the problem is that Western countries, primarily, NATO members are not ready to engage on an equal footing or to seek forms of pan-continental cooperation based on equality and indivisible security across our common geopolitical space.

On the contrary, they want NATO bodies to spread across the entire continent, including the Pacific, where NATO seeks to create military-political alliance-like closed blocs with a limited number of participants, thus eroding the universal and open architecture that it took the ASEAN countries decades to build. All interested countries were welcome to be part of that architecture and use its various mechanisms.

Efforts are being deployed to reverse this process and to subordinate ongoing developments in Eurasia to the interests of the North Atlantic Alliance. These interests are, above all, about containing China, Russia, and the DPRK and, in the long run, any other country that may wish to assert its right to pursue an independent policy based on national interests.

In closing, I would like to point out that our Belarusian friends have put forward an initiative to draft a Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity in the 21st Century. We strongly support this idea. Several countries said they were willing to participate in drafting this document. This process will take time, but the goal has been set, and a growing number of countries share it. We will keep moving towards this goal.

🇷🇺 Today #Russia and its many peoples celebrate national #UnityDay!

It symbolizes the unity of our multiethnic nation, celebrates our true diversity, enhanced through unity and honours the unerring ultimate devotion to the Motherland.

❗️ Happy #UnityDay!

#UnityDay2025 #TogetherForever

Embassy Comment
(5 November 2025)

We have taken note of the interview given by Foreign Minister of Finland Elina Valtonen, published on November 3, 2025, in The Straits Times. The publication reproduces a well-worn set of baseless and tendentious accusations against Russia, alleging that our country poses “a threat to many other countries and the rest of the world.”

The malicious promotion of the so-called “Russian threat” narrative to the Singaporean public reveals a poorly concealed attempt by Helsinki – along with other NATO and EU member states – to justify their own militarization of Europe and to further incite anti-Russian hysteria among European societies and beyond.

We call on Singaporean readers not to be misled by such politically motivated propaganda fabrications.

For those who genuinely wish to understand the real causes of the conflict in Ukraine and the degradation of relations between Russia and the European Union, we would advise turning to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the General Debate of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly (New York, 27 September 2025) – https://shorturl.at/NGz6Z, and other Russian MFA’s publications on the same topic - https://mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/reports/.

✍️ President Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolences to President of the Republic of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos in connection with the numerous human losses and large-scale destruction caused by the typhoon that hit the country’s central regions.

◾️ The message reads, in part, that Russia shares the grief of the victims’ relatives and friends and hopes for a swift recovery from the consequences of this natural disaster.

🎙 Excerpt from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with RIA Novosti (November 9, 2025)

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❓Question: What is currently the main stumbling block in the negotiations with the United States on a settlement around Ukraine? Where is Russia ready to make concessions and where is it not?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: The understandings on Ukraine reached during the Russia-United States Summit in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15 were based on the conditions for a fair and lasting settlement that President Vladimir Putin outlined back in June 2024 during his meeting with the leadership of our Ministry.

We also took into account the proposals transmitted shortly before the Anchorage meeting by US Presidential Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.

At that time, the American side assured us that it would be able to ensure that Zelensky would not obstruct the achievement of peace. Apparently, certain difficulties have arisen in this regard.

Moreover, as we understand, Brussels and London are attempting to persuade Washington to abandon its intention to resolve the crisis through political and diplomatic means and to fully engage in efforts to exert military pressure on Russia; in other words, to finally join the “party of war.”

We are currently awaiting confirmation from the United States that the Anchorage agreements remain in effect.

I would emphasise that, despite their essentially compromise nature, 👉 we have not abandoned – and do not intend to abandon – the points that are fundamental for us. The American side is well aware of this.

❗️ No one disputes the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation or the choice made by the residents of Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya, who made their historic decision to reunite with their homeland through the referendums in 2014 and 2022.

We likewise do not forget the need to eliminate the root causes of the conflict, which we have repeatedly highlighted.

#RussiaUS

📖 #OTD on November 11, 1821, the outstanding Russian novelist and thinker Fyodor Dostoevsky was born in Moscow.

From his early days, Dostoevsky plunged into the depths of the human soul – exploring guilt, redemption, freedom and faith. His masterpieces like The Brothers Karamazov, Crime and Punishment, The Idiot continue to challenge and inspire readers around the world.

He was no stranger to hardship – sentenced to death, spared at the last moment, sent into exile in Siberia, emerging to write some of the greatest works of world literature.

His words travel far beyond Russia:

“Man only likes to count his troubles; he doesn’t calculate his happiness.”

📖 11 ноября 1821 года, в Москве родился русский писатель и мыслитель Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский.

С ранних лет он интересовался внутренним миром человека, темами свободы, веры, добра и зла. Его произведения – «Братья Карамазовы», «Преступление и наказание», «Идиот» –
остаются важной частью мировой литературы.

В жизни Достоевского было немало испытаний: он пережил арест, приговор к смерти, ссылку в Сибирь, но сумел сохранить веру в человека и в силу слова.

Его слова продолжают находить отклик у читателей разных поколений и далеко за пределами России:

"Человек только свое горе любит считать, а счастья своего не считает".

#Announcement

🎙 The international essay competition the 2nd Open Dialogue “The Future of the World: A New Platform for Global Growth” is on-going, open to submission.

Authors are invited to submit their analytical and conceptual works on one of the four topics:

• Investment in People
• Investment in Technology
• Investment in the Environment
• Investment in Connectivity

To take part, you must register on the official project website and submit your essay using the special form. The deadline for submissions is December 26, 2025. All essays must meet the established content and formatting requirements.

Authors of the best works selected for the shortlist by the Expert Council will be invited to take part in the Open Dialogue in person, which will be held in Moscow in April 2026. The winners will have the opportunity to participate in major international economic forums, including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (#SPIEF), June 3–6, 2026.

The Open Dialogue “The Future of the World: A New Platform for Global Growth” is organized by the National Center “Russia” and the Intersectoral Expertise Center “Third Rome” with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, and VEB.RF.