Julie Bishop makes rare diplomatic foray into Russia

The Age

30-06-2025

London: Julie Bishop has made a rare trip to the Kremlin, meeting senior Russian officials during a visit that underscores Moscow's growing influence in Myanmar and its central role in shielding the country's military regime from global pressure.
The former Australian foreign minister, who is now the United Nations special envoy for Myanmar, held talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin. She posted photos to her Instagram last week from inside Russia's Foreign Ministry and Red Square – a striking image for a Western diplomat given Russia's isolation over its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Bishop, who rarely speaks publicly about her role, declined to comment when approached by this masthead, only confirming the visit as part of her role in engaging key United Nations Security Council members on Myanmar's political and humanitarian crisis.
Russia is one of the junta's most powerful allies, supplying arms, vetoing UN resolutions, and expanding oil and gas co-operation. The Kremlin recently announced new strategic agreements with Myanmar's military, even as the regime continues its crackdown on political opponents, ethnic minorities, and pro-democracy forces.
In an address to the UN General Assembly earlier this month, Bishop warned that since the February 2021 coup, 'Myanmar has been in polycrisis, with more than 14,000 civilian fatalities and 80,000 total fatalities recorded, more than 3.5 million internally displaced, and over 100,000 houses torched.'
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She condemned the junta for continuing to 'fly airstrikes as part of its campaign against anti-junta forces and Myanmar's people, despite a ceasefire announcement', and said the plight of the Rohingya Muslim minority had 'only worsened' since the military seized power.
'Those who have been forcibly deported from Myanmar face an uncertain future, with life-saving support to refugees significantly reduced, while Rohingya inside Myanmar face continuing persecution, displacement, and denial of human rights amidst an intensifying conflict,' she said.
She also warned that elections planned by the junta for December were aimed at whitewashing military rule.