🎙 Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Chairman of State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un made press statements following Russia-DPRK talks (Pyongyang, June 19, 2024)

💬 We prioritise strengthening the traditionally friendly and neighbourly relations between Russia and the DPRK that are rooted in the glorious traditions of our shared history. Allow me to remind you that the Soviet Union played an essential role in liberating Korea from the Japanese colonial rule. This year, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea marks 75 years since concluding its first international agreement – and it was a treaty with our country.

Key talking points:

• Today, we held constructive talks covering the entire scope of our practical cooperation. We signed a new interstate treaty, the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which outlines large-scale objectives and guidelines for deepening Russia-DPRK links for the long term. This is a truly breakthrough document

• Our countries are genuinely interested in continuing most active cooperation between the senior officials of our economic agencies, parliaments, law enforcement, security, foreign policy agencies, and between our public organisations and citizens.

• The Treaty on Comprehensive Partnership signed today contemplates, among other things, mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties thereto.

• Our countries consistently defend the ideas of creating a more just and democratic multipolar world order.

• Both Russia and Korea conduct an independent and autonomous foreign policy and do not accept the language of blackmail and dictate. We are against the practice of applying politically motivated sanctions and restrictions.

• Notwithstanding the external pressure, our countries are successfully developing on a sovereign and independent basis, they have rendered and will continue to render each other an all-round support as genuine friends and good neighbours.

• The propaganda cliches reproduced time after time by the Westerners are no longer able to disguise their aggressive geopolitical designs, including in Northeast Asia. Our opinions regarding the root causes of escalation of the military-political tension coincide. They include the US confrontational policy of expanding its military infrastructure in the sub-region, which is accompanied by a substantial increase in the scope and intensity of various military exercises involving the Republic of Korea and Japan, which have a hostile nature towards the DPRK.

• Russia is ready to continue its political and diplomatic efforts to eliminate the threat of the recurrence of an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula and to build an architecture of long-term peace and stability there based on the principle of the indivisible security.

• I am confident that today’s talks will contribute to further development of friendship and partnership between Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and to strengthening of security across the entire region.

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#RussiaDPRK 🇷🇺🇰🇵

🇷🇺🇻🇳 At the invitation of the General Secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong, Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrived in Hanoi, thus commencing a state visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

#RussiaVietnam

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s answer to a question from Channel One (Pyongyang, June 19, 2024)

❓ Question: Would you comment on the article in the Russia-DPRK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty regarding assistance in case one of the countries is under attack? Does this mean that we might have to fight for the Koreans, and the Koreans for us?

💬 Sergey Lavrov: If anyone doubts the legality of this clause, then they need to read it carefully. It says that in the event of aggression against one of the parties, the second party will provide it with all necessary assistance in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter and the national legislation of Russia and the DPRK.

In the view of someone regarding this as unlawful, this article can really be objected to only by those who are planning aggression against the DPRK or the Russian Federation. In our case it is a purely defensive position.

⚡️ Human Rights Situation in Certain Countries (The Joint Report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus)

The document aims to draw attention to the challenges and threats faced by the contemporary international community in the field of human rights.

👉 Read in full

📄 With regard to the human rights issues raised in the Report, our countries firmly believe that applying the so-called double-standards while assessing certain situations and phenomena remains a major challenge in this field. In this regard, it is very symptomatic that such an approach is increasingly being used by the countries of the collective West to fuel confrontation and exert pressure on sovereign States. <...>

We have repeatedly pointed out in international human rights forums and in thematic reports on human rights that a number of countries are openly promoting racist ideas and values, provoking the upsurge of radical nationalism. And this is happening despite the fact that there are legal mechanisms in place within the United Nations, the OSCE and a number of other international organizations aimed at countering the glorification of Nazism, racism, xenophobia and related intolerance.

❗️ However, such connivance is nothing new, especially since Western "model democracies" are no strangers to racist and neo-colonial views – examples abound in our time, and even more so in the history of the twentieth century, and particularly of World War II. Such duplicity of the West was demonstrated by the events of 2022 and its declared "crusade" against the "Russian world".

<...>

In the emerging new world, which should be based on a fairer system of international relations, the full realization of the principle of the sovereign equality of States and the historical, cultural, religious and national particularities of each country is essential. Only on that basis would the negative effects of colonialism, neo-colonial thinking, racism, racial discrimination and related intolerance be fully eradicated. This would prevent unlawful attempts by certain countries to "bring to heel" the international law system and use its universal human rights mechanisms to suit their own parochial and vested interests.

☝️ The negative examples from both the present and the recent past cited in the Report, which, for the most part, we are all well aware of, are a very strong evidence of the need to mobilize the entire constructive-minded international community to successfully confront these challenges.

#VideoOfTheDay

🇷🇺🇻🇳 President of Vietnam Tô Lâm officially welcomed President of Russia Vladimir Putin in a solemn ceremony in Hanoi.

#RussiaVietnam

🇷🇺🇻🇳 In Hanoi, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam To Lam held talks with the participation of official delegations.

💬 Vladimir Putin: Strengthening our comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam remains one of our top priorities.

You mentioned that we are currently celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Treaty on the Principles of Friendly Relations. Throughout these years, we have maintained regular and meaningful political engagements, involving parliaments, ministries, departments, political parties, regions, and civil society organisations. Recently, you also visited Russia in your capacity as Minister of Public Security.

Trade and economic relations continue to advance progressively. Last year, trade turnover increased by eight percent, thanks in part to the close cooperation of intergovernmental commissions on both sides. The growth in trade turnover is also bolstered by the implementation of the 2015 free trade agreement between the EAEU and Vietnam.

We coordinate our efforts in the international arena. Russia places significant emphasis on enhancing dialogue with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with Vietnam being a prominent member.

#RussiaVietnam

🇷🇺🇻🇳 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin took part in a wreath laying ceremony at the War Memorial in Hanoi.

ℹ️ The monument was unveiled on May 7, 1994, the day the country celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Victory of the Vietnamese people over the French colonisers at Dien Bien Phu.

The main part of the Memorial, which is more than 12 metres high, is made of white granite and consists of four adjacent arches with gilded vaults, each facing a cardinal point.

#RussiaVietnam

🇷🇺🇻🇳 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin met with Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam Pham Minh Chinh

💬 Vladimir Putin: The Russian-Vietnamese relations of trust and mutual understanding have come a long way <...> and have stood the test of time with honour.

The Soviet Union, as you also noted, provided effective assistance in the Vietnamese people’s heroic struggle against the French and later the American invaders, and subsequently contributed to the peaceful development of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

In recent decades, we have significantly expanded the legal framework for cooperation. In addition to the cornerstone Treaty on Foundations of Friendly Relations, which just recently turned 30 years old, more than 80 interstate and intergovernmental agreements are now in place between our countries. A number of important bilateral documents were also signed during the current visit.

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Educational cooperation continues; the government has established a quota of 1,000 university scholarships with state grants to admit Vietnamese citizens next year.

Russia will host Days of Vietnamese Culture this year. Vietnamese athletes took part in the #BRICS Games earlier this month.

Many Russian cities and regions, including Moscow, St Petersburg, the Kaluga, Rostov and Ulyanovsk regions, are active in cooperating with cities and provinces of Vietnam.

🤝 I would like to underscore that despite all the current challenges, we are committed to strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the Russian Federation and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and we will do our utmost to advance it. I hope that this visit will serve to strengthen our ties; I have no doubt about it.

#RussiaVietnam

🇷🇺🇻🇳 The President of Russia Vladimir Putin took part in the wreath-laying ceremony at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Ba Dinh Square.

ℹ️ The mausoleum was opened to visitors in September 1975. It is a two-story building made of grey marble, with a transparent sarcophagus containing the body of Vietnam's first President on the first floor. The mausoleum was designed and built with the assistance of Soviet specialists.

🇷🇺🇻🇳 Russia's President Vladimir Putin and President of Vietnam To Lam made statements to the media (June 20, 2024)

💬 Vladimir Putin: Russia places great emphasis on further strengthening the Russian-Vietnamese comprehensive, long-standing and friendly relations, our strategic partnership. Our ties continue to expand and progress in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests. Our countries are linked by a strong bond of shared history. Next year will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between Russia and Vietnam. <...>

Today, Comrade President and I have adopted a statement that supports the principles of the Russian-Vietnamese comprehensive strategic partnership and announces new guidelines for our joint work in the future.

☝️ I would like to mention the tangible benefits our friends have derived from the Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union. Enacted in 2016, it has since then vastly promoted growth in Russian-Vietnamese trade through favourable conditions for access of goods and services to each other’s markets, also fostering investment, technology exchange and innovation.

Equally important is that our countries are consistently pursuing the transition to settlements in national currencies and striving to create sustainable channels of cooperation in lending activities and banking.

⚛️ A strategic point of our bilateral cooperation is the energy sector. <...> Russia and Vietnam have excellent opportunities for cooperation in renewable energy. <...> Another promising area for expanding bilateral cooperation is nuclear energy.

We consider our cooperation on the Vladivostok – Ho Chi Minh City maritime transport corridor, a large-scale infrastructure project, to be highly promising. Since its opening in 2022, this corridor has facilitated regular cargo shipments with container ships operating on a weekly basis.

Currently, more than 3,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students from Vietnam are studying in Russian universities.

🤝 Russia's and Vietnam's respective stances on these issues are largely in accord or closely aligned. Our countries remain committed to the principles of the rule of international law, sovereignty, and non-interference in countries' domestic affairs. They coordinate their efforts on key international platforms, including the UN, as well as within the #RussiaASEAN dialogue and at summits in East Asia.

During our discussion on the situation in the Asia-Pacific region, we expressed mutual interest in building a strong and reliable security architecture in the Asia-Pacific region based on the principles of the non-use of force and peaceful settlement of disputes, with no room for closed military-political blocs.

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#RussiaVietnam

🇷🇺🇻🇳 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) Nguyen Phu Trong.

💬 Vladimir Putin: Vietnam has been and continues to be a reliable friend and partner for us. <...> Our relationship has withstood the test of time, including during the heroic struggle of the Vietnamese people for their independence. These ties are built on trust and mutual support, enabling us to tackle even the most challenging issues and make progress with confidence.

It is noteworthy that my visit to Vietnam coincides with a significant milestone, the 30th Anniversary of the Treaty on the Foundations of Friendly Relations, which established the legal framework for our ongoing cooperation.

We are steadfast in our commitment to further enhancing the comprehensive strategic partnership with Vietnam, which remains a key priority for Russian foreign policy. We are prepared to continue our collaborative efforts across various areas, including the economy, science, technology, defence, security, culture and humanitarian contacts.

📈 Bilateral trade is showing positive dynamics with a growth rate of over 8 percent in the past year. The intergovernmental commission is tasked with further solidifying this upward trend and contributing significantly to its continuation.

Cooperation in personnel training continues as well. Over the years, approximately 75,000 Vietnamese specialists have received education in Russian universities. Currently, more than 3,000 Vietnamese citizens are pursuing their studies in Russia under the state quota system.

<...>

🤝 Russia and Vietnam hold similar positions on numerous pertinent international issues. We are aligned in our vision of building a just, democratic, multipolar international order grounded in international law, sovereignty principles, and equality among nations.

We interact closely and constructively within international organisations, particularly in the UN, and we value your balanced stance on the most pressing crises.

Today presents a valuable opportunity to discuss key aspects of our comprehensive bilateral cooperation and to outline joint priorities for the future. Moreover, we will discuss the state of international affairs.

☝️ I am confident that the current visit will significantly boost the advancement of our relations across the entire spectrum of Russian-Vietnamese relations.

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#RussiaVietnam

🇷🇺🇻🇳 President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and President of Vietnam To Lam met with graduates of Soviet and Russian universities at the Grand Opera House in Hanoi.

💬 Russia’s deep admiration for the courage, resilience, and heroism of the Vietnamese people in their struggle for independence. We also hold in high regard the hard work of the Vietnamese people, who have faced significant challenges with honour while defending the independence and freedom of their homeland, as well as preserving their vibrant culture and rich historical heritage.

❗️I believe that preserving historical roots and traditional values is crucial for any nation, people, or country that wishes to endure and maintain its identity. It is a unifying factor for the peoples of our two nations, and we take pride in knowing that our contribution, the Soviet Union’s efforts, played a significant role in Vietnam’s illustrious victories. These victories include the restoration of Vietnam, the development of its economic and defence capabilities, addressing social challenges, and training skilled professionals across various fields.

I firmly believe that by building upon our strong traditions of friendship and mutual support, we will steadfastly advance the Russian-Vietnamese partnership, establish new ambitious goals, and undoubtedly achieve success.

#RussiaVietnam

🎙 Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s comment on NATO countries’ defence expenditure report (June 20, 2024)

💬 On June 17, the North Atlantic Alliance published an updated version of collected defence expenditure data from its member states. According to the report, the number of states that expect to meet the alliance’s target of allocating at least 2 percent of GDP to defence will reach 23, with a cumulative total of $1.474 trillion this year.

In simple words, the champions of democratic values, which the members of the bloc consider themselves to be, have been inflating financial resources they channel to destabilise global security for ten years now. And all along, NATO governments continued to lie to their own citizens while using their taxes to escalate the military situation in Europe and beyond. They have been indoctrinating taxpayers for years, maintaining the myth of an alleged threat posed by Russia and China just to remove handsome amounts from their wallets. This disinformation underlies NATO military plans, and armies are being prepared for an eventual confrontation with their “major enemy.”

❗️ It has long become clear to many representatives of the international community, including our country, that the main beneficiary of these policies is the United States and its defence companies. Most of the funds allocated by other NATO members will be used to pay for their products.

Unfortunately, the European members of the alliance continue to obediently adopt policies dictated by Washington, while undermining their own economic and social progress, inducing an even deeper crisis. In this context, it is symbolic that the NATO defence expenditure update was published on the same day when outgoing Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with US President Joe Biden. The idea was for Stoltenberg to deliver a performance report to his “boss” in the hope that his accomplishments would be considered for his future employment.

On September 12-14, the X Saint Petersburg International Cultural Forum – the United Cultures Forum - will take place on the banks of the Neva river and will be dedicated to the topic “Culture of the 21st century: sovereignty or globalism?”

The business program will include 10 thematic areas:

1️⃣“How does art help people defend the right to history?”
2️⃣“Artificial intelligence and national sovereignty”3️⃣“Cultural heritage: traditions and modernity”4️⃣“Business culture”
5️⃣“Media culture”
6️⃣“ Cinema"
7️⃣"Theatre"
8️⃣"Music"
9️⃣"Circus"
1️⃣0️⃣"Museums"

On the third day of the Forum, the solemn ceremony of presenting the “Hermitage Prize”, established by the Forum organizing committee together with the State Hermitage museum, will take place in the St. George Hall of the Winter Palace.

🏆 The prize is awarded annually, starting in 2023, to two iconic cultural figures - one Russian citizen and one foreign citizen - for achievements in the field of culture and art, strengthening international cultural dialogue.

Last year, the prize winners were the Russian 🇷🇺 conductor, artistic director and general director of the Mariinsky Theater, General Director of the Bolshoi Theater, People's Artist of Russia Valery Gergiev and the Spanish 🇪🇸 dancer and choreographer, theater artist Nacho Duato, who heads the ballet troupe of the Mikhailovsky Theater.

Within the framework of the anniversary of the United Cultures Forum, events dedicated to Russia's chairmanship in the CIS and BRICS will be held, and a multilateral discussion on the prospects for international cultural cooperation is also planned.

The main venues of the Forum's business program will traditionally be the Main Headquarters of the State Hermitage, the State Academic Chapel of St. Petersburg and the Winter Palace building.

Cultural program events will take place at the Mikhailovsky Theatre, Mariinsky Theatre, Mikhailovsky Garden, Marble Palace, Ethnographic Museum and Peterhof Museum-Reserve.

It is expected that about 1,700 participants will take part in the Forum.

О вопросах приобретения гражданства Российской Федерации 🇷🇺 гражданами Украины 🇺🇦

📄 Joint statement on religious intolerance delivered by a Russian representative during the interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s annual report, 56th Session of the UNHRC:

📍 June 19, 2024, Geneva

🎙 The Russian Federation has the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of a group of countries (🇧🇾Belarus, 🇨🇳China, 🇨🇺Cuba, 🇰🇵DPRK, 🇪🇷Eritrea, 🇮🇷Iran, 🇱🇦Lao PDR, 🇲🇾Malaysia, 🇲🇲Myanmar, 🇳🇮Nicaragua, 🇳🇬Nigeria, 🇸🇾Syria, 🇹🇷Türkiye, 🇻🇪Venezuela, 🇷🇺Russia).

🤝 We take note with appreciation of the report prepared by the Office of the High Commissioner on the deliberations of the panel discussion of experts in line with the HRC resolution 53/1 on countering religious hatred constituting incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

❗️ We express our deep concern at acts of intolerance and violence based on religion or belief towards individuals, members of religious communities, religious minorities, as well as a steady increase in cases of xenophobia and religious intolerance. We continue witnessing disregard and violation of international human rights obligations by some European States which foster manifestations of religious hatred under the pretext of freedom of expression.

🔥 Incidents of vandalism and desecration of places of worship, holy places, cemeteries, religious symbols as well as sacred books and images keep multiplying. In recent years we have witnessed numerous instances when churches and monasteries have been destroyed, clergymen and believers have been intimidated and abused or even deprived of their nationality.

❌ We condemn and reject in strongest terms such acts and emphasize once again our principled position that actions aimed at advocacy or manifestation of religious intolerance, offending the feelings of believers and inciting inter-religious hatred are unacceptable. We call upon all States to take measures at national, regional and international levels to achieve the goal of peaceful and harmonious co-existence, where individuals enjoy equal rights and mutual respect. We also urge the Human Rights Council and its Special Procedures, as well as the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to speak out against religious intolerance and attach greater importance to finding ways to eliminating this phenomena.

⚡️ Statement by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation Member States in connection with the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from Nazi invaders

💬 We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tajikistan, as we approach the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from Nazi invaders, honour the heroic deeds, courage, and unwavering fortitude displayed by the heroes during the Great Patriotic War.

Belarus was one of the first countries to be attacked by the Nazis in June 1941, enduring severe hardships. The Republic lost one-third of its population during the years of occupation.

▪️ Numerous towns and villages were burned down and destroyed, and dozens of death camps and other sites of mass destruction were established. The village of Khatyn, which was burned together with all its residents, stands as a symbol of the suffering endured by the Belarusian people.

The Nazis failed to break the fortitude and fighting spirit of the Belarusian people. <...> An unprecedented partisan and underground movement were organised on the territory of the republic, which made an invaluable contribution to driving out the enemy.

We take pride in the fact that thousands of people from our countries fought shoulder to shoulder with other nations to liberate Belarus from the Nazi invaders. We honour the memory of all Soviet citizens who gave their lives in fierce battles to free Belarus. Their bravery will forever be etched in history as an integral part of the fight against Nazism.

<...>

❗️Preserving the memory of the victory over Nazism, we firmly reject and condemn any attempts to revise the events and outcome of the Second World War. <...>

We call upon all states and nations to reject neo-Nazism and its ideology which justifies and glorifies Nazism and promotes racial, ethnic and religious intolerance. Any celebration or commemoration of the Nazi movement and former members of the Waffen-SS.

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🕯 June 22 marks the Day of Memory and Sorrow in Russia.

At dawn on June 2️⃣2️⃣, 1941, enemy aviation launched massive attacks on airfields, railway stations, Soviet naval bases and numerous cities along the entire western state border to a depth of up to 250-300 km.

This opened one of the most tragic chapters in our country’s history. The Great Patriotic War broke out.

Hitler had a lightning war in mind. Operation Barbarossa implied a crushing defeat of the Red Army and the defeat of the Soviet Union within a few months with the help of the hitherto faultless blitzkrieg tactics.

Romania, Italy and other countries joined Germany to form a united front against the Soviet Union.

However, the Red Army’s fierce resistance and the efforts of all Soviet people foiled the Third Reich’s plans.

🎙 The news about German invasion and the beginning of the war was announced over the radio. At noon on June 22 the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs V.Molotov addressed the Soviet citizens with a phrase that went down in history:

“Ours is a righteous cause. The enemy shall be defeated. Victory will be ours”.

The Great Patriotic War lasted 1418 days and nights and ended on May 9, 1945 with the victory of the Soviet Union and the complete rout of the Nazi bloc.

❗️ The Soviet people perished amounts to 40% of all human losses in WWII, i.e. 26.6 million people! Of them, more than 8.7 million died in combat, 7.42 million were intentionally exterminated by the Nazis in the occupied territories, and over 4.1 million died from the atrocious conditions of the occupation regime.

• Since 2009, the day marked by the Candle of Memory nationwide action. Candles are lit throughout Russia in the silence of the night in memory of all those who died during the Great Patriotic War protecting our peaceful life.

Since 2020, an annual nationwide minute of silence has been held at 12:15 Moscow time the exact time when the Soviet government announced Nazi Germany’s invasion.

🔗 Read our full material for more information

#Victory79 #WeRemember