📹 #UNGA79

🤝 The Russian delegation, led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, has concluded its participation in the High-Level Week of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly:

35 meetings, including 28 bilaterals "on the margins" of the UNGA.

A recap of what you might have…or might not have missed 👆

#ICYMI

👉 DAY 1
👉 DAY 2
👉 DAY 3

🎙 Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov's remarks at General Debate of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly:

💬 Russia will always be on the side of collective work, truth and law, peace and cooperation in the interests of reviving the ideals laid down by the founding fathers. This is the aim of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations

🎙 Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions

💬 Our view is well known. The only beneficial way to reinforce the Council is by considering candidates from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Increasing the number of Western countries and their allies is out of the question.

#UnCharterIsOurRules

🇷🇺🇨🇳 Russia's President Vladimir Putin sent greetings to President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC.

✉️ China marks this significant anniversary with impressive achievements in economic, social, scientific and technological development. Under your leadership, the PRC has successfully strengthened its global standing and plays an essential role in addressing key regional and international issues.

We value the friendly and neighbourly relations with Beijing. Despite the complex international landscape, we have recently managed to significantly increase trade volumes and implement numerous large-scale bilateral projects across various sectors. The fruitful Russia-China collaboration at the #UN, #BRICS, the #SCO and other multilateral organisations has major significance.

🤝 We will undoubtedly continue our joint efforts to further strengthen the comprehensive partnership and strategic collaboration between Russia and China for the benefit of our nations.

#RussiaChina

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the international presentation of Russia's Kirov Region (Moscow, October 1, 2024)

💬 I am delighted to welcome you to the presentation of another region of the Russian Federation. This has already become a good tradition. Several dozens of regions have held such events over the past 15 years.

Today, we have an opportunity to look at the Kirov Region and its substantial resources and capabilities. Central Russia is known for its natural beauty and numerous cultural landmarks. <...>

The advantages the Kirov Region has to offer make it a foreign economic and international partner for nearly 100 countries, primarily, the neighbouring countries and the countries of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America which are part of the Global Majority and seek to strengthen their independence and realise their right to free development through mutually beneficial ties with Russia.

The Foreign Ministry appreciates the constructive interaction with the Kirov Region Government in line with the foreign policy approved by President Putin. We stand ready to continue to work together in order to not only try to find, but to actually find promising foreign partners and to coordinate and implement joint cultural, humanitarian, and economic ties. <...>

🤝 I would like to thank Governor Sokolov and his team for spearheading today’s presentation. We always appreciate it when our foreign guests get more familiar with our regions.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 On October 2, 1949, the day after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Soviet Union became the first country to establish diplomatic relations with the fledgling state.

Although our country was still in the process of post-war economic recovery, it extended a helping hand to the fraternal Chinese nation by sending a large team of Soviet specialists to assist the PRC in its state-building efforts.

Fast forward 75 years, and today, Russia and China operate within a comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation, entering a new era. Relations between the two countries are at an all-time high and continue thriving.

✔ In their economic relations, our countries have been proactive in developing trade and investment cooperation by promoting mutually beneficial projects in the energy and infrastructure sectors, as well as science and technology.
✔ In the political sphere, Moscow and Beijing have steadfastly supported each other as proponents of a multipolar world order and respect for state sovereignty on the international stage.
✔ In the field of culture, a wide range of events will take place in 2024 and 2025 as part of the Cross Cultural Years, with the aim of deepening our mutual understanding and promoting humanitarian links between our countries.
✔ Russia and China have proactively cooperated in #BRICS, #SCO, #APEC, the Group of Twenty and other forums and associations.

🤝 The leaders of the two countries have maintained an intensive dialogue, which has been instrumental in promoting Russia-China relations in all areas. In March 2023, China's President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Russia. This was his first trip abroad after being re-elected for a third term. In May 2024, Russia's President Vladimir Putin made a state visit to China – also his first trip abroad after his inauguration.

💬 In his message of greetings on the 75th anniversary of Russia-China diplomatic relations, President Vladimir Putin wrote:

I am confident that fulfilling the bilateral agreements resulting from our latest meetings will contribute to further strengthening the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and the PRC, as well as ensure stability and security on the Eurasian continent and across the world.

💬 In his opening remarks during the meeting with Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi on the sidelines of the #ASEAN ministerial meetings Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated:

Russia and China have been working in tandem on building a multipolar world order with better justice for all, guided by the principle of genuine multilateralism. In addition, they have been creating positive vibes within the United Nations and the Group of Twenty, while remaining proactive within #BRICS and the #SCO.

💬 In her interview to a Chinese magazine Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said:

The Russia-China nexus has had a stabilising effect on international affairs. We will remain consistent in our efforts to build an independent financial and banking infrastructure and to create the best possible environment for facilitating the development of our two countries and improving the wellbeing of the people of China and Russia.

🎉 We wish our Chinese friends and colleagues wellbeing and prosperity!

#RussiaChina

#RussiaChina

🇷🇺🇨🇳✉️ President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin sent greetings to President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping on the 75th anniversary of Russia-China diplomatic relations.

The message reads, in part:

Three quarters of a century ago, we were the first country to recognise the People’s Republic of China, and immediately forged a strong bond between our two nations. I can say with great certainty that the close and mutually beneficial relations between Moscow and Beijing have stood the test of time and succeeded in this endeavour with honour.

Today, Russia-China ties are at an all-time high. Our two countries have been proactive in working together on political, trade and economic matters, as well as in science and technology, and a plethora of other domains. We have been effective in coordinating our efforts when dealing with regional and international affairs for building a multipolar world order with greater justice for all.

I am confident that fulfilling the bilateral agreements resulting from our latest meetings will contribute to further strengthening the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and the PRC, as well as ensure stability and security on the Eurasian continent and across the world.

🛰 On October 4, 1957, a small metallic sphere with four rod antennas burst into Earth's orbit... BEEP... BEEP... BEEP!

The entire world witnessed a historic event — the launch of Earth's first artificial satellite.

Sputnik-1 was in essence an aluminium spherical device, 58 centimetres in diameter and 83.6 kg light. Its body was sealed and protected the internal equipment from external factors. Inside, there were two radio transmitters operating on frequencies of 20.005 and 40.002 MHz, which sent out the iconic "beep-beep" signals, heard and recorded by amateur radio operators around the world. The four external antennas, ranging from 2.4 to 2.9 metres in length, ensured stable signal transmission. The satellite had no propulsion system and orbited the Earth solely due to the impulse given at launch.

🚀 A two-stage R-7 launch vehicle, developed by a team of Soviet engineers under the leadership of Sergey Korolev, was used to place Sputnik-1 into orbit.

🌐 The launch of Sputnik-1 was not only a great technological achievement, but also a symbol of the dawn of a new era — the Age of Space.

Ever since, dozens of nations have launched their own satellites — thousands are orbiting the planet this very moment.

💫 We are proud to say that ours — Sputnik-1 — was the very first!

📰 Article by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov “On the Circumstances of the Division of Austria and Germany into Occupation Zones,” published in the Bulletin of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (№3 (91), 2024)

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✍️ As the great Russian historian Vasily Klyuchevsky said, “History is not a teacher but an overseer. It does not teach anyone; it merely punishes those who haven’t learnt their lessons.”

Therefore, it seems appropriate to review some chapters of our history ahead of the 80th Anniversary of the Great Victory, particularly in the context of the current international and foreign policy realities. 👇

<...>

The Westerners (Anglo-Saxons) refused to recognise the Soviet Union as an equal party to the post-war settlement until 1943. However, the Allies’ interest in the future of Germany after its defeat in the war grew with every change on the Soviet-German front. <...>

The Soviet Union improved its military standing further after defeating the Nazi troops in the Battle of Kursk. This led to a growing awareness in London and Washington that ignoring Soviet interests when making decisions that affected all Allies could be dangerous.

During the Tehran Conference on December 1, 1943, Stalin explained that “the Ukrainian territories should be assigned to Ukraine, and the Byelorussian territories to Byelorussia.” Likewise, the Soviet Union considered that it would be correct for Poland to regain control of its ancestral territories in the west. UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill proposed that “the home of the Polish state and nation should be between the so-called Curzon Line and the line of the Oder, including for Poland East Prussia and Oppeln.” <...>

In 1944, the Red Army won a number of major victories over Germany and the Axis powers. The westward movement of the frontline and the growing might of the Soviet Union showed that the Red Army could potentially defeat Nazi Germany without the Allies’ assistance. This led to a major change in their views on the future of Germany between the Tehran and Yalta conferences. The West began to act not only to defeat Germany but also to contain the Soviet Union.

The West began to act not only to defeat Germany but also to contain the Soviet Union. <...>

When the Yalta Conference was held in Crimea on February 4−11, 1945, the Red Army was barely 60 kilometres from Berlin. The Anglo-Saxon circles started thinking about forming a bloc of West European states after the war, with Germany as one of its members. This rendered the Anglo-Saxon plans for Germany’s de-industrialisation and division irrelevant. <...>

On February 5, 1945, Stalin openly asked the Allies in Yalta if they supported the disintegration of Germany following its defeat. He reminded them that the US and British governments had voiced such plans twice, in Tehran in 1943 and during the Soviet-British talks in Moscow in October 1944. The US and British leaders reaffirmed their principled stance on Germany’s disintegration. As a result, the Soviet Union supported the Allies’ idea of adding the following phrase to Article 12 of the declaration regarding the defeat of Germany: “The… Allied Governments will take such steps, including the complete disarmament, demilitarisation and dismemberment of Germany, as they deem requisite for future peace and security.”

The Berlin (Potsdam) Conference (July 17 — August 2, 1945) became the last stage in the joint effort by the heads of the anti-Hitler coalition. <...> The Potsdam Conference’s biggest achievements centred on its resolutions on the German issue. In fact, they recognised the German state within its new borders as a single economic and political entity, despite serious disagreements on matters dealing with the restoration of a centralised governance framework.

<...>

The post-war settlement in Europe, with the resolution of the German and Austrian issues as its important, if not crucial, part, was an example of the successful harmonisation of state interests based on mutual respect and goodwill.

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at the opening ceremony of an exhibition marking the 75th Anniversary of diplomatic relations with China (Moscow, October 3, 2024)

💬 It is a great honour and privilege for us to welcome you to the exhibition marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Russia and China. <...>

This exhibition presents unique documents and photo images highlighting the key reference points in our relations.

🇷🇺🇨🇳 Our two countries established diplomatic relations on October 2, 1949, the day after the People’s Republic of China appeared on the world’s political map. Taking this opportunity, I would like to once again extend my congratulations to His Excellency Ambassador Zhang Hanhui and all our Chinese friends on the PRC’s 75th Anniversary.

Moscow was the first capital to recognise the newly established China. Our country became a reliable friend to Beijing and assisted it in the early days of its state-building efforts.

<...>

Meaningful and trust-based dialogue at the highest level plays a key role in strengthening our cooperation in various domains. <...>

Overall, consistent years-long joint efforts under the guidance of our leaders have elevated our relations to unprecedented heights.

It is highly satisfying for me that in the current geopolitical environment, the comprehensive strategic partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and China have demonstrated their solid and mature nature and continue to facilitate our countries’ development in all its aspects and improve the wellbeing of our peoples. <...>

Moscow and Beijing have been working in tandem to ensure global stability and build a multipolar world order with greater justice for all.

🤝 It is clear that we can resolve any matters and overcome any challenges in the spirit of eternal friendship, neighbourly relations, mutual respect and mutual benefit.

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#RussiaChina

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s opening remarks at the sixth meeting of the Moscow Format of Consultations on Afghanistan (Moscow, October 4, 2024)

💬 I am delighted to welcome you to the capital of Russia for the sixth meeting of the Moscow Format of Consultations on Afghanistan. I am especially pleased to welcome Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, who is attending this event as the guest of honour.

The importance of the Moscow dialogue platform continues to grow. <...> This format is based on the principle of equality and consensus and is therefore conducive to the practical coordination of the approaches of Afghanistan’s neighbours and other regional countries concerned in developing relations with Kabul <...>

☝️ Washington and its allies are hindering the revival of the Afghan state. The United States disregards international criticism of its actions and continues to illegally hold Afghanistan’s national assets while maintaining strict sanctions against its banking sector. We again urge Western countries to accept responsibility for the post-conflict reconstruction of Afghanistan, lift their restrictions and release Kabul’s assets.

In the context of discussions underway in the West, we would like to once again emphasise the unacceptability of returning the military infrastructure of third countries to Afghanistan or deploying military facilities in neighbouring countries under any pretext. History shows that projecting external force in that region can only compound the region’s problems.

<...>

In conclusion, I would like to reaffirm our commitment to assisting the settlement of Afghanistan’s still numerous problems by developing the Moscow format and the mechanism for meetings of neighbouring countries. We are confident that it is the regional platforms that can attain the best results possible by combining their efforts.

⚠️ In this connection, we call for caution regarding the United States and its allies’ efforts to force their way into the settlement process with the aim of assuming control, in particular, by using the UN’s prestige for their reprehensible purposes. I wish all of you success.

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🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s article for Russia in Global Affairs magazine «The UN must recover its central role in coordinating actions by nations» (October 4, 2024)

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💬 The 79th Session of the UN General Assembly has recently completed the general debate, where President Vladimir Putin tasked me to represent the Russian Federation.

Does the Pact for the Future have a future?

Held as usual in the last week of September, the UN’s High-Level Week included the so-called Summit of the Future. The idea to convene it came from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and Russia has met this idea with understanding considering that the UN is sinking deeper and deeper into a crisis, and something has to be done about it. Russian diplomats joined efforts to prepare this meeting and acted in a sincere and honest way, even if we did not have any illusions in this regard. In fact, there were quite a few major UN events in the past which failed to go beyond bombastic declarations that were forgotten soon after their adoption.

<...>

In 2015, the UN Summit on Sustainable Development adopted grand plans to fight poverty and inequality. In the end, they turned out to be empty promises in the face of the unwillingness of the Western countries to give up their neo-colonial practices of siphoning off the riches of the world for their own benefit. <...>

The current UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, just like Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon before him, has put forward an initiative under the slogan of giving a new start and resetting global cooperation.

This is a wonderful idea. Who could disagree?

But what global cooperation is there to talk about, when the West has trampled all those unshakeable values of globalisation we have been hearing about from everywhere for so many years. These perorations were designed to convince us that they would give everyone equal access to the goods of modern civilisation. Where is the inviolability of property, the presumption of innocence, freedom of expression, access to information, fair market competition under fair and constant rules?

How can we discuss global cooperation when the Western countries have unleashed a real war of sanctions against more than half, if not the majority, of the countries of the world, and the US dollar has been crudely turned into a weapon against undesirable countries? <...>

Key talking points:

• It is not too late to give the UN a new lease on life.

• It has gotten to the point where the West wants to turn the UN into an instrument for attaining itself-seeking goals.

• [The West is] hindering the badly needed change in the system of forming the UN Secretariat, where the key posts have been seized and are “inherited” by representatives of the Western minority.

• There must be an honest discussion by all UN member states, and not like a process in which the Pact for the Future was prepared – without a single plenary session of talks attended by all countries.

• Establishing a space of equal and indivisible security in Eurasia is crucial amid the all-encompassing processes unfolding in the macro-region.

• Our initiative is based on the understanding of the need for states and multilateral organisations of the Eurasian region to assume responsibility for ensuring their own security under the ‘Eurasian solutions to Eurasian problems’ formula.

***

❗️ Today, the international community once again faces massive challenges, just like during World War II, which require united efforts rather than confrontation and desire of global dominance. Russia will always advocate collective efforts, truth and the rule of law, peace and cooperation in the interests of reviving the ideals set forth by the UN’s founding fathers.

🇺🇳 Working for the honest balance of the legitimate national interests of all countries, we can bring to life the purpose of the #UN as stated in its Charter: “To be a centre for harmonising the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.”

🎙 Briefing by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova (October 2, 2024)

🔹 FM Sergey Lavrov’s schedule
🔹 Developments in the Middle East
🔹 Kiev regime crimes
🔹 Ukrainian Armed Forces’ links with terrorist organisations
🔹 Situation in Moldova
🔹 US military build-up in the Asia-Pacific region
🔹 Russian chairmanship in BRICS
🔹 75 years of Russia-China diplomatic relations
🔹 Ministerial Conference of the #RussiaAfrica Partnership in Sochi
🔹 FM Sergey Lavrov’s article about post-war partition of Germany and Austria

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📺 Watch

#Ukraine #KievRegimeCrimes

People who came to the temporary accommodation centre in Kursk told journalists about the first days of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ invasion of the Kursk Region, including the large number of civilian casualties.

According to eyewitnesses, the Ukrainians warned the residents that if they did not leave, then “foreign mercenaries would come and leave no one alive.” Sudzha resident Vladimir Maltsev said: “Georgians, Poles, Frenchmen – all these mercenaries – were exterminating people like cockroaches,” and “a lot of women were killed, abused, and raped.”

***

Kiev regime does not hide its links with terrorist groups around the world and, in particular, on the African continent and in the Middle East. The international community’s attention has been drawn to this more than once. In this regard, we note that an increasing number of states become aware of the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime.

We believe that this practice of criminal cooperation between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the international terrorist international is absolutely unacceptable. We will continue to fight this evil spirit by all available means, regardless of where it appears

#RussiaChina

Today, the relations between Russia and China are at their all-time high, and the effort to further reinforce them meets the long-term development goals of the two countries. This is a steady and lasting trend.

On the international stage, Russia and China have been acting in tandem and emerged as a major factor of stability. The two countries are committed to do even more to coordinate their actions in order to fast-track the emergence of a democratic multipolar world order with greater justice for all, empowering all countries to have a say on global governance matters, ensuring equal and indivisible security, and rejecting confrontation and conflict.

#BRICS

In our work, we primarily strive to stand up to the challenges and threats of our time, and find collective solutions to the global challenges of international development. Specifically, we focus on a wider use of national currencies, joint payment instruments and platforms in mutual trade transactions.

Our combined efforts are aimed at promoting and building an interconnected and interdependent international system on a non-aligned and non-hegemonic basis, which would give precedence to such common priorities as economic growth, poverty alleviation, food, climate and water security, combating international terrorism, extremism, and organised crime, etc.

🎙Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview to Newsweek magazine (October 7, 2024)

❓Question: As the Ukraine conflict continues, how different is Russia's position than in 2022 and how are the costs of conflict being weighed against the progress made toward strategic objectives?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Our position is widely known and remains unchanged. Russia is open to a politico-diplomatic settlement that should remove the root causes of the crisis.

It should aim to end the conflict rather than achieve a ceasefire. The West should stop supplying weapons, and Kiev should end the hostilities.

👉 Ukraine should return to its neutral, non-bloc and non-nuclear status, protect the Russian language, and respect the rights and freedoms of its citizens.

<...>

On 14 June, Russian President Vladimir Putin listed prerequisites for the settlement as follows: complete AFU withdrawal from the DPR, LPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson Oblasts; recognition of territorial realities as enshrined in the Russian Constitution; neutral, non-bloc, non-nuclear status for Ukraine; its demilitarization and denazification; securing the rights, freedoms and interests of Russian-speaking citizens; and removal of all sanctions against Russia.

Kiev responded to this statement by an armed incursion into the Kursk Oblast on 6 August. Its patrons – the US and other NATO countries – seek to inflict a «strategic defeat» on Russia. Under the circumstances, we have no choice but to continue our special military operation until the threats posed by Ukraine are removed. <...>

❓Question: How likely do you think it is that a military or diplomatic solution can be achieved, or do you see a greater risk of the conflict spiraling into something even larger with Ukrainian forces receiving more advanced NATO weaponry and entering Russian territory?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Making guesses is not my job. What I want to say is that we have been trying to extinguish this crisis for more than a decade, yet each time we put to paper agreements that suite everyone, Kiev and its masters would backpedal. <...>

At present, as far as we can see, restoring peace is not part of our adversary's plan. Zelensky has not revoked his decree banning negotiations with Moscow. Washington and its NATO allies provide political, military and financial support to Kiev so that the war would go on. They are discussing authorizing the AFU to use Western long-range missiles to strike deep into Russian territory. "Playing with fire" in this way may lead to dangerous consequences. As stated by President Putin, we will take adequate decisions based on our understanding of the threats posed by the West. It is up to you to make conclusions.

❓Question: What concrete plans does Russia have in line with its strategic partnerships with China and other powers to achieve changes in the current world order and how do you expect these ambitions to play out in areas of intense competition and conflict, including the Middle East?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: What we have in mind is that the world order needs be adjusted to the current realities. Today the world is living through the "multipolar moment". Shifting towards the multi-polar world order is a natural part of power rebalancing, which reflects objective changes in the world economy, finance and geopolitics. The West waited longer than the others, yet it has also started to realize that this process is irreversible.

<...>

Multipolarity manifests itself in the increasing role of regional associations, such as the #EAEU, #SCO, #ASEAN, #AfricanUnion, #CELAC and others. #BRICS has become a model of multilateral diplomacy. The #UN should remain a forum for aligning the interests of all the countries.

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Meeting of the #CIS Foreign Ministers Council chaired by Sergey Lavrov has started in Moscow

🎙 Excerpt from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview to Newsweek magazine (October 7, 2024)

❓Question: What impact do you expect the US presidential election to have on Russia-US relations if Donald Trump wins or if Kamala Harris wins and how is Russia preparing for either scenario?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: Generally speaking, the outcome of this election makes no difference to us, as the two parties have reached a consensus as to countering Russia. In case there are political changes in the United States and new proposals to us, we will be ready to consider them and decide whether they meet our interests. At all events, we will promote Russia's interests decisively, especially as far as its national security is concerned.

On the whole, it would be natural for the White House resident, no matter who they are, to mind their domestic business, rather than looking for adventures tens of thousands miles away from American coasts. I am confident that US electors think the same.

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