#Opinion

✍️ Dmitry Trenin, a research professor at the Higher School of Economics and a lead research fellow at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations, member of the Russian International Affairs Council.

Europe will eventually have to choose between the US and BRICS

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Key points:

💬 Rather than setting out to organize a genuine multipolar system based on mutual recognition of each nation’s core interests, <...> the US proceeded to enhance its exclusive and comprehensive dominance.

• This year, at the #BRICS Summit in Russia’s Kazan, the group will for the first time include the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Another major Eurasian institution is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (#SCO) <...> to be admitted soon. A number of other Eurasian countries, from Turkey to Thailand and from the Malpes to Mongolia, have voiced their intention to join either BRICS or SCO.

• To counter that trend among the members of what we increasingly call the World Majority, Washington has raised the profile of NATO in the Indo-Pacific; strengthened its Cold War-era bilateral and trilateral alliances in the Western Pacific, and founded a new one, #AUKUS, in the South Pacific.

❗️ All these multiple arrangements are completely dominated by the US and are aimed at containing and deterring Washington’s designated primary adversaries: China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea – with one overriding goal of defending America’s hegemonic position.

• In contrast to that, neither BRICS nor the SCO is dominated by a single power, or a tandem/triumvirate of nations. BRICS’s recent expansion also suggests that it does not aspire to become a version of the West’s G7, as an elitist steering group, or directoire, for the non-Western world.

• Neither BRICS nor the SCO is overtly anti-American or anti-Western: their main focus is internal rather than external, and they have their work cut out for them.

• The emerging mutual security space within the SCO will make the continent – minus Western Europe, for the time being – far more stable, whether in terms of strategic stability in major-power relations, regional security systems, or the risks of terrorism.

☝️ Eventually, the countries of Western Europe – or far western Eurasia, if you like – will have to make a choice between staying in the US orbit as America’s power continues to shrink, or reaching out east to a vast and vibrant new world next door.

🇷🇺🇮🇳 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, on an official visit to Russia, held talks in the Grand Kremlin Palace.

💬 Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister, this is your first official visit after your reappointment following parliamentary elections. I would like to congratulate you on this once again.

Our countries have long-time friendship and good relations that have evolved over the decades. This year, we are marking the 77th Anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Today, our relations have the status of a specially privileged strategic partnership. We are in permanent contact, and we prioritise the development of trade and economic ties. Certainly, their development meets the interests of the people of India and the peoples of the Russian Federation.

📈 Last year, our trade soared by 60 percent and even more, by 66 percent; it increased by an additional 20 percent in the first quarter of 2024.

🌐 We cooperate closely on the international arena, including at international organisations, primarily the #UN and such associations as the #SCO and #BRICS.

Yesterday, we had an opportunity to discuss virtually all practical issues in an informal setting. I am grateful to you for devoting attention to the most acute issues and for trying to find some options for resolving the Ukraine crisis, primarily by peaceful methods.

Mr Prime Minister, we will be delighted to see you in Kazan this autumn at the upcoming BRICS Summit.

At the end of my opening remarks, I would like to wish you new successes in facilitating the development of the Indian state. You and I know each other for a long time, and I know that your entire life is devoted to implementing the idea of strengthening the Indian state and improving the life of the people of India.

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#RussiaIndia

🎙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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#AntiFakeOfTheDay

📰 Regarding a yet another misleading publication in The Times

The consistent development of equitable mutually beneficial cooperation within the #BRICS framework has evidently provoked a degree of unconcealed irritation within the British establishment <...>.

BRICS is increasingly becoming a target of deliberate attacks and systematic attempts to undermine its credibility by the neoliberal regimes and its crony media outlets.

The British media has always acted as an instigator, deliberately distorting the very essence and principles of the association in an attempt to portray BRICS as an antagonist and a collective adversary of the West.

👎 A quintessential example of such alarmist propaganda is Roger Boyes' article in The Times, titled Expanding BRICS Alliance Should Worry NATO.

Mr Boyes crafts a narrative from an alternate (un)reality, in which BRICS is purported to resemble a military alliance positioned against NATO.

A crash course for the clueless "diplomatic editors" 👇

The genuine goals and interests of the association starkly contrast with the fantasies presented in this publication, which has, in recent years, devolved into a run-of-the-mill tabloid.

• BRICS has NEVER been, nor does it intend to become, a military alliance. BRICS is not an international organisation or an integration structure, but rather an interstate association of equal participants. It is a multidimensional strategic partnership founded on three key pillars: politics and security, economy and finance, and cultural and social ties.

• Relations among BRICS partners are grounded in equality and mutual respect, the principles of openness, pragmatism, solidarity, and, crucially, a lack of bias against any party.

• One of the principal objectives of BRICS is to establish a fair and multilateral global economic system.

🤦‍♂️ It is utterly absurd to even entertain the notion of equating BRICS with the aggressive military alliance of NATO.

❗️ For decades, NATO's history has been marred by bloody invasions and the destabilisation of security across various regions worldwide.

What NATO is:

❌ destruction, suffering, and misery for millions,
❌ suppressing national identities,
❌ relentless expanding of military infrastructure,
❌ imposing neoliberal dictatorship for the benefit of a single nation,
❌ decrepit relic of the Cold War, having long since lost its original purpose.

What BRICS is:

✅ creation,
✅ development assistance,
✅ collaborative enrichment of civilisations,
✅ respecting the interests of all nations to establish a truly just world order.

The yet another low-quality hit-piece published by another Western newspaper employs own neo-colonial ideas about international relations with the clear aim to incite unfounded fears.

By producing a biased article intended to tarnish BRICS, the author, who claims to be a diplomatic editor, merely projects his own flawed, aggressive worldview and embodies the classic British colonial mindset.

Such writing is not only tedious but also reveals the profound despair of the "not-so-flourishing Western garden," which is rapidly losing its relevance.

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🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin met with journalists from BRICS countries ahead of the XVI BRICS Summit in Kazan (October 18, 2024)

Read and watch in full

Key talking points:

• In the modern world, creating nuclear weapons is not a difficult task. I do not know whether current-day Ukraine is capable of doing this now though. It is not easy for Ukraine today, but generally there are no big difficulties in this regard, with everyone knowing how it is done. <...> I can say straight away: under no circumstances will Russia allow this to happen.

• NATO is waging war against us with the hands of the Ukrainian soldiers, and Ukraine spares no lives for the interests of third countries, but Ukraine on its own does not use high-tech weapons: NATO does that.

• What sets BRICS apart from many other international organisations/fora? #BRICS was never meant to be created to oppose anyone. It is a group of countries that work together, guided by shared values, a common vision for development, and, most importantly, by the consideration of each other’s interests.

• In certain sectors, humanity’s existence is impossible without the BRICS countries, particularly in food and energy markets and so on.

• Russian-Chinese cooperation on the global stage is undoubtedly one of the key pillars of strategic stability worldwide.

• We do not interfere in [bilateral relations of other countries]. If there are any issues arising and if there is something that depends on us, we are ready to offer our services in resolving these issues, if they arise and if the participants in the corresponding process are interested in any involvement from our side.

• The United States should not have destroyed the [Middle East] Quartet. it worked, it was easier to agree on all positions. But the US monopolised the work, took all the responsibility and eventually failed.

• The main method to resolve the Palestinian issue is to create a full-fledged Palestinian state.

• 95% of Russia’s foreign trade with its partners is being done in national currencies. The United States did it themselves.

• The International Criminal Court has no universal power. This is an international organisation whose jurisdiction Russia does not recognise, like many other countries.

🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin summed up the results of the year and answered questions from journalists and the people of Russia in a live broadcast (December 19, 2024)

#Sovereignty

• Russia has become significantly stronger. We are becoming a truly sovereign country. We are capable of firmly standing on our feet when it comes to the economy. We are strengthening our defence capability.

• Sovereignty is extremely important. It comes from within, should be embedded in the heart itself.

#RussianEconomy

• The situation in Russian economy is stable and solid. We are growing in spite of any external threats or attempts at outside influence.

• International financial and economic institutions ranked Russia as Europe’s biggest economy in terms of volume, in terms of purchasing power parity, and the world’s 4th largest economy.

#UkrainianCrisis

• If one were to look at the situation in 2022, knowing what is happening now, I would think the early 2022 decision [to start the special military operation] should have been made sooner.

• We are ready to engage in dialogue without any preconditions. However, as I have mentioned numerous times before, based on the agreements that we reached during the negotiation process in Istanbul at the end of 2022 and proceeding from the current realities on the ground.

• There is no indication in the Ukrainian constitution that the president's powers сould be extended. If one takes part in elections and becomes legitimate, then we will talk to that person, even if it's Zelensky.

#Syria

• Our position firmly aligns with international law and the sovereignty of all nations, including respect for Syria’s territorial integrity. This extends to supporting the stance of the current authorities governing the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic.

• The main beneficiary of the developments in Syria is Israel. Russia condemns the seizure of Syrian territories. Our position on this matter is clear and unchanging.

#NuclearDoctrine

• [In the new Basic Principles of State Policy of the Russian Federation on Nuclear Deterrence] we are talking about some new military hazards that may grow into military threats.

• If non-nuclear states threaten our existence, participate in an aggression against the Russian Federation alongside the countries that have nuclear weapons, we consider ourselves entitled to use nuclear weapons vs them.

• If similar threats are posed to Belarus, our ally and member of the Union State, the Russian Federation will consider these threats as threats to Russia. And we will do everything to ensure the security of Belarus.

#Oreshnik

• Medium-range Oreshnik missile system is a modern, a brand new weapon which can strike targets located up to 5'500 km away.

• Our missile needs a few seconds to start dispensing warheads There is no chance of shooting down these missiles.

#BRICS

• BRICS is not a tool for countering the West. We focus on our own interests and the interests of the group’s member countries.

• Ensuring reciprocity, mutual respect and respecting each other’s interests have been our core guiding principles in this effort. We adopt all decisions by consensus.

#RussiaChina

• Everything [Russia and China] do in relation to each other and how we do it is based on absolute trust to policies of both Sides. We engage in nothing that contradicts our interests, and we do much that benefits both the Chinese people and the peoples of the Russian Federation. <...> The bilateral trade volume is estimated at $220-240 billion, and it continues to grow.

#RussiaUSA

• I don’t know when we will meet [with Donald Trump]. I haven't spoken to him for more than four years. I’m ready to talk any time and will be ready to meet with him.

#Victory80

• We will be happy to see all those who wish to visit our country to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Victory over Nazism.

• The losses of the US and Britain in World War II are incomparable to those of the Soviet Union. Their contribution varied, yet we all the same cherish their participation.

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🇷🇺 The Russian Federation welcomes the accession of the Republic of Indonesia to #BRICS as a full-fledged participant from January 1, 2025.

The candidacy of Indonesia was submitted and approved in advance during the first phase of BRICS’ expansion at the Summit in Johannesburg, the Republic of South Africa, in 2023. However, in the context of the 2024 presidential elections, Indonesian partners decided to postpone Jakarta’s official request pending the inauguration of the new head of state and the appointment of the government.

During Russia’s BRICS chairship in 2024, the Republic of Indonesia submitted an official request for joining BRICS. The document was examined in accordance with the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures for BRICS membership expansion. All BRICS states agreed, by consensus, to support the Indonesian bid.

🇮🇩 #Indonesia, the largest economy and most populous nation in Southeast Asia, shares BRICS values, advocates multilateral cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect, openness, pragmatism, solidarity and consensus.

Indonesia’s accession to BRICS will help enhance the group’s authority and prestige still further and will also facilitate the consistent consolidation of the Global South and East for forging a more equitable and well-balanced multipolar world order.

🎙 Comment by Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov following 🇷🇺🇨🇳 a telephone conversation with President of China Xi Jinping (June 19 2025)

💬 President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. The phone call took place in keeping with the mutual agreement of the two Sides. This was a friendly and constructive conversation with a primary focus on the escalation in the Middle East.

The two Sides share identical approaches and firmly condemn Israel’s actions in violation of the UN Charter and other international norms.

Moscow and Beijing have adopted a position of principle in their belief that the current situation and matters relating to the Iranian nuclear programme cannot be resolved by force, while a solution can only be achieved by political and diplomatic means.

The President of Russia informed his colleague about his latest international contacts with a focus on his telephone conversations with the key actors in the context of the confrontation between Israel and Iran.

The Russian leader reaffirmed Russia’s readiness to offer its good offices, if necessary. <...>

In view of this increasingly challenging environment, the two Leaders agreed to instruct their respective teams in the relevant agencies and services of the two countries to work closely together in the coming days by sharing insights and perspectives. <...>

The conversation organically shifted to the bilateral agenda, with both Leaders stressing that the Chinese President’s May visit to Moscow helped set new important goals and benchmarks for the governments and relevant agencies in their ongoing efforts to reinforce the Russia-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

It was emphasised that the Chinese President’s participation as the main guest in the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War held special significance and served as a compelling testament to our shared steadfast positions in upholding historical truth and preserving the memory of the heroic feats of our forefathers. <...>

It has been agreed that the next time the Leaders will see each other will be on Chinese soil during the SCO Summit in Tianjin on August 31 – September 1. They will take part in the festivities marking the 80th anniversary of victory over militarist Japan and the end of World War II in Beijing on September 3. Full-scale bilateral talks will be held on September 2.

📈 Despite a number of adverse external factors, it was noted that trade and economic cooperation continues to gain momentum. Last year, mutual trade broke another record at almost $245 billion. <...>

The Leaders of Russia and China emphasised their mutual interest in strengthening cooperation on pressing international issues and coordinating their efforts within #BRICS, the #SCO, the #UN, and other international platforms. <...>

It was noted that it would be beneficial, in the spirit of the comprehensive strategic partnership between our countries, to coordinate mutual approaches so that the #CentralAsia region becomes a model of genuine stability, economic prosperity, and constructive cooperation.

☝️ The information we received from the President of China was highly significant and useful to us, particularly in light of our own preparations for the second high-level meeting in the Russia–Central Asia format, which is scheduled for October 10 in Dushanbe.

The Heads of State once again expressed their satisfaction with the unprecedented level of Russian-Chinese relations, and both our President and the President of China remarked at the conclusion that they were very pleased with the exchange of views. The exchange was indeed highly productive, as it addressed the most pressing issues currently on the agenda, both internationally and in terms of developing our bilateral relations and contacts.

The conversation lasted approximately an hour, and the Leaders bid each other farewell in a very warm and friendly manner.

#RussiaChina

🇷🇺🇧🇷📞 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the Federative Republic of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had a telephone conversation (August 9, 2025)

The President of Russia informed the Brazilian Leader of the key outcomes of his recent meeting with US President's Special Envoy Steven Witkoff. The President of Brazil expressed support for efforts aimed at helping resolve the Ukraine crisis.

The Presidents confirmed their mutual willingness to continue strengthening the strategic partnership between Russia and Brazil, as well as their cooperation within #BRICS.

#RussiaBrazil

🎙 Russia's President Vladimir Putin's interview to the Chinese news agency Xinhua ahead of his official visit to the People’s Republic of China (August 30, 2025)

Key points:

• The visit of our friend, President of China Xi Jinping, to Russia in May was a resounding success, drew wide international attention and was highly regarded in our country. His arrival coincided with a date that is sacred to us, the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

• The Chinese Leader was the principal guest of honour at the celebrations in Moscow. During our high-level talks, we held a very productive discussion of key issues in cooperation between our nations. The outcome was a comprehensive joint statement and the signing of a substantial package of bilateral documents.

• The peoples of the Soviet Union and China bore the brunt of the fighting and suffered the heaviest losses. <...> Before the full-scale outbreak of the Second World War, in the 1930s, when Japan treacherously launched a war of aggression against China, the Soviet Union extended a helping hand to the Chinese people.

• We see that in certain Western states the results of the Second World War are de facto revised, and the verdicts of the Nuremberg and Tokyo tribunals are openly disregarded. <...> Russia and China resolutely condemn any attempts to distort the history of the Second World War, glorify Nazis, militarists and their accomplices, members of death squads and killers, or to defame Soviet liberators.

• At the invitation of President Xi, I will pay a return visit to China. I greatly look forward to visiting the city of Tianjin, which will host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit under China's presidency.

• The #SCO's appeal lies in its simple but powerful principles: a firm commitment to its founding philosophy, openness to equal cooperation, non-confrontation with third parties, and respect for the national characteristics and uniqueness of each nation.

• I look forward to in-depth discussions with President Xi Jinping on all aspects of our bilateral agenda, including political and security cooperation, as well as economic, cultural and humanitarian ties.

• The Russia-China strategic partnership acts as a stabilising force. As the two leading powers in Eurasia, we cannot remain indifferent to the challenges and threats facing our continent and the wider world.

• Russia and China support reform of the UN so that it fully restores its authority and reflects modern realities. In particular, we advocate for making the Security Council more democratic by including states from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Any such reforms must, however, be approached with the utmost care.

• Close cooperation between Moscow and Beijing has positively shaped the work of leading economic forums, including the #G20 and #APEC. We are working closely with China within #BRICS to expand its role as a key pillar of global architecture. Alongside our Chinese partners, we support the reform of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

• Economic relations between Russia and China have reached an unprecedented level. Since 2021, bilateral trade has grown by about 100 billion dollars. <...> While trade figures are denominated in US dollar equivalents, transactions between Russia and China are carried out in rubles and yuan.

• Large-scale bilateral cultural and humanitarian initiatives make a significant contribution to fostering friendly relations. Education and science remain especially promising areas for cooperation. Academic mobility and inter-university contacts continue to grow. Today, more than 51'000 Chinese students are studying in Russia, while 21'000 Russian students are studying in China. Tourism is another important sphere I would like to note. The figures here are encouraging: by the end of 2024, mutual tourist flows had increased 2.5 times, reaching 2.8 million people.

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#RussiaChina

#Intervision

🎤 On September 20, the final of the international music contest "Intervision" will take place at the Live Arena venue.

Artists from over 20 countries will participate, including states from #BRICS, #CIS, Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

A video adress to the contest participants was sent by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

🔊 The participants’ musical tracks are available to listen to👇

🇷🇺 Russia — SHAMAN, “Straight to the Heart” (VK)

🇧🇾 Belarus — Nastya Kravchenko, “Moth” (VK)

🇧🇷 Brazil — Luciano Calazans & Thais Nader, “Popcorn with Love” (VK)

🇨🇳 China — Wang Xi, “天边” (VK)

🇨🇴 Colombia — Nidia Góngora, “En Los Manglares” (VK)

🇨🇺 Cuba — Zulema Iglesias Salazar, “Guaguancó” (VK)

🇪🇬 Egypt — Mustafa Saad, “Ben elbanat” (VK)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan — AMRE, “Steppe Light” (VK)

🇰🇪 Kenya — Sanaipei Tande, “Flavour” (VK)

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan — The Nomad Trio, “Jalgiz saga” (VK)

🇲🇬 Madagascar — Denise & D-Lain, “Tiako Hanjeky” (VK)

🇶🇦 Qatar — Dana Al Meer, “Huwa Dha Anta” (VK)

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia — Zena Emad, “Mojrd Ham” (VK)

🇷🇸 Serbia — Slobodan Trkulja, “Three Little Roses” (VK)

🇿🇦 South Africa — Mzansi Jikelele, “Home” (VK)

🇹🇯 Tajikistan — Farrukh Hasanov, “Burn!” (VK)

🇺🇸 USA — Brandon Howard, “We Are Champions” (VK)

🇻🇪 Venezuela — Omar Acedo, “La Fiesta de la Paz” (VK)

🇻🇳 Vietnam — Duc Phuc, “Phù Đổng Thiên Vương” (VK)

👉 Competition Website

***

📆 Reminder: Press conference on the preparation and holding of the international music contest "Intervision" will be held at 11 am on September 16, at the Reception House of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Spiridonovka St., 17).

Participants: Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Head of the Organizing Committee of the international music contest “Intervision” Dmitry Chernyshenko and General Director of the Channel One Russia Konstantin Ernst.

We also wish to inform that First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation, Sergey Kiriyenko, will also attend the press conference.

📍 September 16, 11:00 — Moscow, Spiridonovka St., 17

Russian and foreign journalists are invited to attend the press conference.

👉 Learn more

🎙 Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's interview with Channel One’s Bolshaya Igra (Great Game) political talk show (September 18, 2025)

Key points:

• Unlike all other Western figures, whose actions and positions boiled down to the mantra that “Ukraine is right,” that Russia must suffer a “strategic defeat,” and that Ukraine’s sovereignty must be restored within its 1991 borders, Donald Trump and his team have repeatedly demonstrated, including publicly, an understanding of the need to address the root causes of the conflict. Donald Trump has stated publicly on multiple occasions that drawing Ukraine into NATO was a mistake. He made it abundantly clear that, to achieve a settlement, these aspirations must be set aside and security must be built on different principles.

• We appreciated Donald Trump's openness and frankness back then and we do now. He doesn’t use underhand tactics, and he never conceals his thoughts. We appreciate his emphasis on results. He calls it making a deal in the broad sense of the word.

• We would like to maintain the current dialogue between our Presidents, Foreign Ministers, national security aides, and special envoys of the two Presidents, as well as communication via other channels. We see that the American side wants this too.

• All these Europeans made no secret of their previous and ongoing public efforts to dissuade US leadership from pursuing any constructive measures towards Russia within the context of the Ukrainian crisis. They seek to drag the United States back onto the treacherous path it followed under Joe Biden, when this was “Joe Biden’s war.” The Europeans are determined to make it “Donald Trump’s war” as well. They do not conceal this.

• President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly made it clear that, ultimately, a sustainable agreement means a compromise. We are prepared to seek a compromise provided that our legitimate security interests and the legitimate interests of the Russian people in Ukraine are ensured just as the legitimate interests of other parties to such an agreement are.

• The Trump administration recognises the importance of NATO-related issues. They’ve stated it publicly. There’s an understanding that the referenda in Crimea and other territories cannot be ignored. Any potential agreement must take the outcomes of these referenda into account.

• Undoubtedly, they seek to impede any agreement – they oppose a settlement that would terminate their protracted endeavours to transform Ukraine into a perpetual irritant, if not an explicit threat, to the Russian Federation. That is obvious.

• The war in Ukraine which the West has organised against us has proved that the Euro-Atlantic concepts have not lived up to the promises made during their creation.

• President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated: we have never had, do not have, and will never have any plans to attack any NATO or EU country. Since 2008, we have tabled documents guaranteeing indivisible security and ensuring that no country enhances its security at the expense of others. This was endorsed by all parties within OSCE summits.

• The new emerging economies continue to assert themselves. All forecasts point to this being a long-term and sustainable trend. <...> There is unity both within #BRICS and within the #SCO. We reject domination and diktat, and advocate for indivisible security across all regions.

• We have our own military-political alliances, primarily the Union State of Russia and Belarus. The CSTO and the SCO also have a strong military-political dimension related to ensuring the security of member states. None of these formats ever sought to be hostile towards anyone.

• President Putin advanced the initiative for creating a continental Eurasian security architecture in 2024, starting with joining the efforts and launching dialogue between subregional integration organisations and gradually moving towards a continental agreement.

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📺 Remarks by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the General Debate of 80th Session of the UN General Assembly.

Key points (Unofficial translation):

• 80 years ago the most terrible war in human history came to an end. More than 70 million people fell victim to hostilities, hunger and disease. In 1945 the course of world history changed forever. We hold sacred the memory of brotherhood-in-arms with all Allies who then stood on the side of truth in the struggle against the forces of evil.

• #UNCharterIsOurRules The principles and the Charter agreed upon by the founding fathers of our Organization still serve as a bright beacon for international cooperation.

• We advocate for the unconditional observance of the principle of equality. In it lies the guarantee that all countries can take their rightful place in world affairs, regardless of their military power, population size, territory or economy.

• Russia strongly condemned the Hamas militants’ attack on peaceful Israelis on October 7, 2023. However, there is no justification for the brutal killing of Palestinian civilians, just as there is no justification for terrorism.

• The Arabic language is not banned in Israel, nor is Hebrew in Arab countries or Iran – but the Russian language is banned in Ukraine. Let me recall that Article 1 of the Charter speaks of the need to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion. Europe remains silent, obsessed with the utopian goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.

• The rights of Russians and Russian-speaking people in the territories still under the control of the Kiev regime must be fully restored. On this basis we are ready to discuss the security guarantees for Ukraine.

• Russia and the US bear a special responsibility for world affairs, for avoiding risks that could plunge humanity into a new war.

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (#SCO) and #BRICS play a special role as mechanisms for coordination of countries of the Global South and East.

• NATO is already cramped in Europe, and it is expanding into the Pacific Ocean, the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, undermining the universal ASEAN mechanisms and creating threats not only to China and Russia but also to other countries in the region.

• Speaking of the future, we must not forget the lessons of the past – especially when Nazism is once again raising its head in Europe, militarization is gaining momentum under the same anti-Russian slogans. This causes particular concern given that a number of political figures, now in power in Brussels and certain EU and NATO capitals, seriously discuss World War III as a possible scenario.

• We call on member states and the Secretariat’s leadership to scrupulously follow all the Charter’s principles – without exception and without double standards. Then the legacy of the UN’s founding fathers will not be wasted.

Watch / Read — English subs included 👆

🎙 Statement by President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the plenary session of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (Saint Petersburg, June 5, 2026)

Key talking points:

• We are witnessing turmoil in the energy markets and tensions being provoked in certain regions, primarily in the Middle East, and how the short-sighted EU bureaucracy policies are being implemented to the accompaniment of aggressive rhetoric and leading to Europe continuing to lose its standing in the global economy, while also undermining regional and global security. In fact, European elites are inciting chaos and are trying to embroil ever more countries into it.

These processes did not arise all by themselves; they are the result of the world undergoing the largest structural transformation in decades. This transformation is not a transition from one phase of a cycle to another. We are witnessing a change in the paradigm of global development.

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• It has become clear that investment plans and business development steps may face serious risk where the external infrastructure on which they rely could be used against them. Therefore, countries are beginning to develop their own technological solutions, create their own supply routes, and build their own institutions.

Russia is experiencing these transformations firsthand. Although pressure on our country persists, the changing global landscape has also created greater room for manoeuvre. New partnerships are emerging, new financial and technological solutions are being developed, and access to promising markets is expanding. Against this backdrop, Russia views global change not only as a source of challenges but also as a tremendous opportunity. To make the most of these opportunities, we seek to act swiftly and pragmatically.

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• The world becomes more equitable when economic growth is distributed more broadly and opportunities become available to billions of people who have long remained on the periphery of the global economy. It is very important that these new centres of growth seek to shape their own development paths, increase their share of value creation, and build their own brands, standards, and capabilities.

If you look at the global GDP dynamics of the last five years, you will see that almost half of its annual growth, 49%, is accounted for by #BRICS countries, whereas the contribution of the so-called Group of Seven is estimated at 18%.

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• Sanctions and, basically, the theft of Russia’s international reserves have had an irreversible effect on the positions of the world currencies, the US dollar and the euro. This is an objective reality that cannot be ignored. Today, every country – let me stress, every country without exception – understands that, like Russia, it could at any moment lose access to assets lawfully held in dollars or euros, as well as to Western financial and payment infrastructure.

We recognise that this ultimately boils down to the issue of unfair competition. The specific pretexts may vary, and they can always be found. In Russia’s case, it was the conflict in Ukraine. In other instances, it may be developments in the Middle East, conflicts in Africa, or even a country’s stance on LGBT-related issues. A justification can always be found. But the underlying problem remains the same: this is unfair competition.

• Importantly, possessing an independent technological base is critical for countries with large populations, vast territories, and distinctive cultures. Such countries cannot act merely as users of foreign-made solutions, because in that case they risk becoming objects of control by external platforms. And how those platforms are used is another matter.

• In essence, major countries – true civilisations – face a historic choice:

👉 either they create their own platform and technological ecosystems,
👉 or they become a digital periphery.

There should be no illusions about this. Foreign services may initially be user friendly, but over time the cost of such dependency will inevitably become apparent.

📄 Full text of the statement