Latest news with #RussianFM
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Lavrov criticises Western alliances
Pakistani Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Saturday, expressing gratitude for Russia's "positive neutrality" during the recent escalation between India and Pakistan. The 40-minute bilateral meeting took place ahead of a broader gathering at the Eurasian Forum, where leaders from China, Turkiye, South Korea, and Cambodia were also in attendance. Senator Mushahid, who was invited as the only Pakistani representative, delivered a keynote address at the forum, where he highlighted Pakistan's desire for regional peace and greater Eurasian cooperation. During the meeting, Senator Mushahid expressed appreciation for Russia's stance of "positive neutrality" during the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. This neutrality stood in stark contrast to the escalating military operations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Russian FM The discussion at the Eurasian Forum took a sharp turn when Lavrov condemned Western military alliances in Asia. He specifically targeted India's growing involvement in the US-led Quad, which includes Australia, Japan, and the United States. Lavrov's criticism of the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which India is increasingly part of, was pointed: "This Indo-Pacific had never existed — NATO made up this term to drag India into their anti-China schemes," he said. Lavrov's words struck a nerve with the 12-member Indian delegation, which was present at the forum. The Indian representatives, including members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), were notably silent as Lavrov criticised joint military exercises within the Quad.
Russia Today
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Saudi Arabia to mediate Russia-US talks
Saudi Arabia will mediate talks between Russia and the US on resolving the Ukraine conflict, set to begin in Riyadh on Tuesday, CNN has reported, citing a Saudi official. The kingdom has maintained neutrality throughout the conflict, engaging in dialogue with Russian, US and Ukrainian leaders. Earlier, Moscow and Washington announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump would soon meet face to face, and later revealed that the summit would take place in the Saudi capital. A Ukrainian official has told CNN that officials from Kiev would not attend the talks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Putin's foreign policy aide, Yury Ushakov, will travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Trump's team to prepare the ground for an upcoming meeting of the two leaders, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The US will be reportedly represented by Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. The development comes after Putin and Trump held a 90-minute phone call last week which revolved around settling the Ukraine conflict. The upcoming talks in Riyadh will be the first high-level, in-person discussions between Russian and US officials in years. Peskov explained that Saudi Arabia was chosen as the location for the high-level talks because it 'suits both the American and Russian sides.' Riyadh along with its neighbor the United Arab Emirates has increasingly positioned itself as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The kingdom has facilitated prisoner exchanges and hosted diplomatic discussions, highlighting its commitment to a peaceful resolution. READ MORE: Russian FM outlines key goal for talks with US Both Trump and Putin have fostered strong ties with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was the first foreign leader Trump called after taking office. Last month, in a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump described the crown prince as 'a fantastic guy.' Last September, Putin expressed gratitude to bin Salman for facilitating the largest US-Russian prisoner swap since the Cold War. 'We are grateful to him, because this resulted in the return of our citizens to their homeland,' he said at the time. Last week, Witkoff said that bin Salman had played an 'instrumental' role in mediating the release of Marc Fogel, a former US Embassy employee and teacher sentenced to 14 years in prison in Russia on drug trafficking charges. Commenting on the upcoming trip to Riyadh, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that the Russian team wants to assess President Trump's proposals for resolving the Ukraine conflict. Moscow has stressed its pursuit of a lasting resolution rather than a temporary ceasefire, insisting that Kiev commits to neutrality, denazification, demilitarization, and recognition of the current territorial realities.
