🇷🇺President #Putin: We welcome the granting of #SCO dialogue partner status to Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as launching the procedure to obtaining this status by Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar and UAE. There are more countries desirous of cooperating with the SCO.

📅 On May 4 and 5, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will be taking part in the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Foreign Ministers’ Council (#SCO FMC) in Panaji, Republic of India.

🇷🇺🇮🇳 This meeting will open the final stage in the preparations for the SCO Summit under India’s presidency, which is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on July 3 and 4. <...> Russia praises its Indian partners for their proactive efforts and is committed to effectively enabling them to deliver on their agenda.

The Foreign Ministers will focus on preparing the agenda for the upcoming meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council (HSC). Among other things, they will discuss draft documents to be submitted to the heads of state.

The Foreign Ministers will exchange views on key regional and international matters with a focus on foreign policy coordination with the aim of strengthening the UN’s central coordinating role in reliably ensuring global security and sustainable economic development.

During the SCO FMC meeting, participants will pay special attention to expanding the ranks of the organisation. The Ministers will approve the SCO HSC draft resolution granting membership status to Iran and will discuss the application by Belarus asking if ways can be found to accelerate the procedures to accept it into the organisation.

🤝 Russia stands ready to work closely with all its partners in order to prepare a meaningful agenda and ensure the success of the upcoming SCO Summit in New Delhi, as well as further step-up constructive cooperation within the organisation.

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🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin's speech at the meeting of the #ShanghaiCooperationOrganisation Heads of State Council (July 4, 2023)

🔗 Read in full: https://vk.cc/cpemko

🇮🇳 The meeting is taking place under the chairmanship of Prime Minister of #India Narendra Modi.

🇰🇿🇰🇬🇨🇳🇵🇰🇹🇯🇺🇿 President of the People's Republic of #China Xi Jinping, President of #Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of #Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, Prime Minister of #Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, President of #Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and President of #Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev are also taking part in the meeting.

🇧🇾🇮🇷🇲🇳🇹🇲 President of #Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of #Iran Ebrahim Raisi and President of #Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh were invited to take part in the meeting as heads of the #SCO observer states. President of #Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov was invited as a guest of the presiding party.

Heads of the SCO permanent bodies and heads of delegations from certain invited international organisations and associations are also attending the summit.

🔗 http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/71578

⚡️ From President Vladimir Putin's Address to the Federal Assembly (February 29, 2024)

Key talking points:

• Just like any other ideology promoting racism, national superiority or exceptionalism, Russophobia is blinding and stupefying. The US and its satellites have, in fact, dismantled the European security system which has created risks for everyone.

• We need to shore up the forces in the western strategic theatre in order to counteract the threats posed by NATO’s further eastward expansion, with Sweden and Finland joining the alliance.

• A new equal and indivisible security framework must be created in Eurasia in the foreseeable future. We are ready for a substantive discussion on this subject with all countries and associations that may be interested in it. At the same time, I would like to reiterate (I think this is important for everyone) that no enduring international order is possible without a strong and sovereign Russia.

• We strive to unite the global majority’s efforts to respond to international challenges, such as turbulent transformation of the world economy, trade, finance, and technology markets, when former monopolies and stereotypes associated with them are collapsing.

• The principles of equality and respect for each other’s interests guide us in our interactions with our partners. This is why more and more countries have been proactive in seeking to be part of the activities of the #EAEU, the #SCO, #BRICS and other associations involving Russia.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Russia's President Vladimir Putin and President of China Xi Jinping made a media statement following Russia-China talks (May 16, 2024)

💬 Vladimir Putin: The talks we have just finished highlighted the great significance that Moscow and Beijing attach to the development and strengthening of comprehensive Russia-China partnership and strategic interaction. This partnership can certainly set an example of ties between neighbouring states.

Key talking points:

• This state visit takes place in the year of the 75th Anniversary of our diplomatic relations. Our country was the first to recognise the People’s Republic of China on October 2, 1949, the day after its declaration.

• I want to note the significance of the Joint Statement we have adopted, which sets new objectives and long-term directives for advancing the entire spectrum of Russian-Chinese relations.

📈 In 2023, bilateral trade surged by a quarter, reaching a new milestone of $240 billion, as reported by Chinese statistics. While there may be a slight variance in figures, the overall total is entirely accurate. <...> Currently, there are over 80 priority projects valued at approximately $200 billion in progress or in preparation for implementation through the respective intergovernmental commission.

• Our talks have reaffirmed that Russia and China have similar or identical views on many international and regional issues. Both countries have an independent and sovereign foreign policy. We are working together to create a fairer and more democratic multipolar world order.

• We have agreed to further improve communication between credit and banking institutions of Russia and China, while actively employing national payment systems to support our economic operators.

🤝 Russia and China are fruitfully working together in #BRICS and the #SCO. <...> Our countries are resolved to continue working to align integration processes underway within the framework of the #EAEU with China's Belt and Road Initiative.

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🎙 Russia's President Vladimir Putin took part in a SCO Heads of State Council Meeting in Astana (July 4, 2024)

💬 First of all, I want to greet everybody and, of course, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, following the accession of the Republic of Belarus as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Russia gives high priority to partnership within the #SCO. We can state with satisfaction that this cooperation continues to develop consistently based on the principles of equality, consideration for each other’s interests, respect for the cultural and civilisational diversity, and cooperation in addressing important security issues.

<...>

Our countries are increasingly using national currencies for mutual settlements. For example, the share of national currencies in Russia's transactions with SCO members has exceeded 92 percent in the first four months of this year. I would like to reiterate Russia's proposal to establish a payment and settlement system within the SCO.

Regular meetings between our economic ministers, finance ministers and central bank governors are making a substantial contribution to the development of trade and investment relations in the SCO space.

<...>

Naturally, ensuring security within the Member States and along the external borders has always been a key focus of the SCO’s activities. Today, we have made decisions to upgrade the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure into a comprehensive centre that will address all security threats, as well as to establish an anti-drug centre in Dushanbe. The three-year cooperation programme we have approved will further strengthen our efforts to combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism.

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🇷🇺🇶🇦 Russia's President Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the #SCO Summit.

💬 Vladimir Putin: #RussiaQatar relations are built on a strong foundation of friendship. Our trade in absolute figures is not large, but there are good growth prospects and positive trends.

We continue mutual investment cooperation. Our central banks are also working together. There is an ongoing dialogue on potentially including Qatar in the North-South Transport Corridor project. We are developing humanitarian links between our nations.

We remember that Qatar was extremely dedicated to the preparations for the FIFA World Cup. We have approved a memorandum of understanding between our ministries of sport to enhance cooperation in this field.

🤝 Your Highness, I would like to thank you for your efforts in resolving humanitarian issues and those arising from the Ukrainian crisis. It is through your mediation that we have been able to reunite children with their families on both the Russian and Ukrainian sides.

We are also aware that you have been one of the most effective mediators between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East crisis. We know very well that you are taking very proactive efforts to help the parties reach agreement on ceasefire and detainee exchange.

Your Highness, you know that Russia is also making efforts to help settle this crisis. It is our firm belief that this situation can only be resolved by complying with the respective decisions of the UN, especially those concerning the establishment of two states, Israel and Palestine.

Your Highness, it has been a long time since your last visit to Russia. We would be more than happy to host you in our country. Please consider this an official invitation.

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🎙 Statement by FM Sergey Lavrov during the UNSC meeting on multilateral cooperation in the interest of a more just, democratic and sustainable world order

📍 New York, July 16, 2024

💬 Today, the very foundations of the international legal order - strategic stability and the UN-centric system of international politics - are put to the test. We won’t be able to resolve the mounting conflicts unless we understand their root causes and restore faith in our ability to join forces for the common good and justice for all.

Let’s face it: not all countries represented in this chamber recognise the key principle of the UN Charter which is the sovereign equality of all states. Speaking through its presidents, the US has long declared its exceptionalism. This applies to Washington’s attitude towards its allies, whom it demands to be unquestioningly obedient even to the detriment of their national interests.

👉 Rule, America! This is the thrust of the notorious “rules-based order” which presents a direct threat to multilateralism and international peace.

The most important components of international law - the UN Charter and the resolutions of our Council - are interpreted by the collective West in a perverse and selective manner, depending on the instructions coming from the White House.

Key talking points:

• Washington’s hegemonistic policy has been the same for decades. Absolutely all schemes of Euro-Atlantic security were based on America’s domination, including the subjugation of Europe and the “containment” of Russia. The main role in this was assigned to NATO, which has ultimately tramped down the European Union that had been created to serve Europeans. The alliance has unceremoniously privatised OSCE bodies in brazen violation of the Helsinki Final Act.

• The unrestrained enlargement of NATO, which went on for years contrary to Moscow’s warnings, has also provoked the Ukraine crisis that began with the state coup organised by Washington in February 2014 to seize full control of Ukraine and use the neo-Nazi regime they brought to power to prepare an attack on Russia.

• NATO’s military infrastructure is moving into the Pacific with the obvious aim of undermining the ASEAN-centric architecture, which has for many decades been built on the principles of equality, mutual interests and consensus.

• Where are the free market attributes that the US and its allies have been telling everyone to follow for so many years? Market economy, fair competition, inviolability of private property, presumption of innocence, freedom of movement of people, goods, capital and services - all of these have been scrapped.

• The pivotal element of the reform of the UN should be the reshuffle of the UN Security Council, <...> which clearly has too many representatives of the collective West. A badly needed step is to reach the broadest accord possible on the concrete parameters of the reform, which should increase the representation of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

• The personnel policy of the UN Secretariat should be changed as well to eliminate the domination of Western citizens and subjects in the administrative UN bodies. The UN Secretary-General and his staff must faithfully and with no exceptions comply with the principles of impartiality and neutrality.

• #BRICS and the #SCO are playing an increasing role in the development of a just multilateral world based on the principles of the UN Charter. Their member states represent different regions and civilisations whose interaction is based on equality, mutual respect, consensus and mutually accepted compromises, which is the golden standard of multilateral cooperation involving great powers.

❗️ The UN will be able to overcome current disagreements and to reach consensus on most issues if everyone, without exception, honours its letter and spirit. “The end of history” has failed to materialise. Let us work together in the interests of launching the history of genuine multilateralism that reflects the entire wealth of cultural and civilisational diversity of the world’s nations.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions following his visit to the United States within the framework of Russia’s UN Security Council Presidency

📍 New York, July 17, 2024

💬 I came to New York for two key events – open debates – that were held yesterday and today within the framework of Russia’s UN Security Council Presidency. Not only members of the Security Council but all other delegations could attend them. You saw how many of them did so.

The first issue we proposed for discussion yesterday concerned the conceptual framework of international relations, multilateralism and multipolarity. We pointed out the gradual erosion of system that was created after the Second World War on the basis of the central role of the UN.

I hope that you listened to my statement and to the statements made by other participants. We did not expect to come to agreement on the majority of issues, considering the current tensions on the international stage and the state of relations between the collective West and the Global Majority.

☝️ Although we had no big illusions, I believe that it was a useful discussion. At the very least, the overwhelming majority of participants agreed that we have problems. Many of them expressed opinions that coincide with our vision of the objective development of a multipolar world order, which I presented in my statement.

Another conclusion is that this discussion will most certainly be continued. There is an apparent interest for this, and it is growing. We will actively keep it up, and we will organise additional discussions on this issue not only at the UN but also at other multilateral platforms, including at the Group of Twenty, at associations such as #BRICS and the #SCO, as well as in the framework of our contacts with the regional organisations of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The restoration of trust is the top priority now, as the representative of Guyana pointed out yesterday. So far, there was no hint of dialogue. Another important statement he made was that trust could only be rebuilt if all parties without exception comply with the agreements reached. This is not the case so far. Examples of that were provided yesterday in my statement and in the statements of other participants.

Overwhelming evidence of that was also provided during today’s open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The overwhelming majority of the UN resolutions on Palestine have not been implemented. The second debate I have mentioned is not over yet. Many speakers have called for taking resolute steps. We hold a similar view. The first steps must include the termination of hostilities, a permanent ceasefire, the settlement of critical humanitarian problems and, of course, the termination of Israel’s actions to create illegal settlements. We hope that if or when this is done, this will create conditions for resuming negotiations on the implementation of UN decisions on the establishment of the Palestinian state that would live in peace and security with Israel.

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🤝 I have held a series of bilateral meetings with the foreign ministers of Arab countries, with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Peter Szijjarto, and with Head of the Federal Department (Minister) of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation Ignazio Cassis.

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