Russian Consulate in Cape Town

#Outcomes2024 ⚡️On January 14,at 11:30 a.m. (MSK) at the Press Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russia will be hosted a press conference of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov on the results of Russian diplomacy in 2024 . 🕣 11:30 a.m. MSK 🕣 08:30 a.m. GMT 🕞 03:30 a.m. EST Russian and foreign journalists are invited. Accreditation is open until 12:00, on January 10. Read in full

🇷🇺Russia's Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large for the G20, APEC and BEP issues Marat Berdyev: Russia is actively fostering foreign trade and economic relations. 🤝 In the first nine months of 2024, Russia's trade turnover with foreign partners amounted to 584 billion dollars. We traditionally preserved surplus in export-import transactions. Russia developed the most intense commercial ties with the friendly nations: China🇨🇳, India🇮🇳, Türkiye🇹🇷, Belarus🇧🇾, and Kazakhstan🇰🇿 are in the top five. We enhance close cooperation with the Global South/East nations within the framework of the key multilateral formats, the #G20, #APEC in particular, and also with the promising participants of the Greater Eurasian Partnership (#GEP) flagship initiative. Together we are seeking the creation of fair markets, supply chains and global institutions that meet the interests of the Global Majority.

Outcomes of Supreme Eurasian Economic Council's Meeting 🤝On December 26, in Leningrad Region (Russian Federation), Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia and Chairman of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council (SEEC), chaired a SEEC meeting featuring Heads of State of the Eurasian Economic Union, Heads of Observer States at the EAEU, and Bakytzhan Sagintaev, Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission. 📋The Council members approved the Main Directions of the EAEU's international activities for 2025, a framework document in this area, developed by the Commission in accordance with the recommendations of the Member States. The meeting also approved the Protocol Amending the Treaty on the EAEU as regards the special mechanism for conducting investigations and making decisions on the application or non-application of special safeguard, anti-dumping and countervailing measures. 📑The Commission's reports on the functioning of the common market of services and liberalization of individual service sectors in the Eurasian Economic Union were presented to the leaders of the Union countries. An Agreement on a unified system of customs transit between the EAEU and a third party (third parties) was signed, defining the fundamental legal basis for the conclusion of individual international treaties between the Union and third countries on the creation of a unified transit system. 🇮🇷The Supreme Eurasian Economic Council granted the Islamic Republic of Iran the status of an Observer State at the EAEU. 🇧🇾The Heads of the Union countries determined that in 2025 the Republic of Belarus will chair the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council and the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission. 📍The next SEEC meeting will be held at the end of May 2025 in Belarus. 🔗https://eec.eaeunion.org/en/news/itogi-zasedaniya-vysshego-evraziyskogo-ekonomicheskogo-soveta-26-dekabrya-2024-g/

⚡️Comment by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Ukraine ending Russian gas transit (January 2, 2025) Kiev has refused to extend the agreements between Russia’s Gazprom and Ukraine’s Naftogaz and Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine, which expired on January 1, 2025. The same day, the transit of Russian gas to Europe through the territory of Ukraine was stopped. ☝️ It was the Ukrainian authorities that chose to halt Russian gas supplies to European residents despite the fact that Gazprom was fulfilling its obligations under contracts. This move to halt the supplies of competitive and environmentally friendly Russian source of energy both diminishes Europe’s economic potential and severely affects the quality of life for European citizens. ❗️ The geopolitical context behind this decision by the Kiev regime is obvious, with the United States being the primary beneficiary of the redistribution of the energy market in Europe as well as the main orchestrator of the Ukrainian crisis. The major European economy, Germany, has already become the first to fall victimof the US predatory strategy: Germany was forced to purchase natural gas at significantly higher prices following the explosions of the Nord Stream 1 and the Nord Stream 2 pipelines. Germany also had to start closing a number of its major legendary industries. Now other nations, which were once part of the economically thriving and independent European Union, will also face the consequences of the US 'patronage'. The responsibility for halting Russian gassupplies lies entirely with the United States, the puppet Kiev regime, and the authorities of European states that preferred providing financial support to the American economy to ensuring well-being of their own citizens.

🎙️President of Russia Vladimir Putin’s New Year Address to the Nation 💬 The year 2025 begins, marking the completion of the first quarter of the 21st Century. For Russia, this period has been marked by numerous events, including developments of historical significance and great magnitude. We set ambitious goals for ourselves and achieved them, coped with many challenges because we stood united. This’s what consolidated our unity, strengthened our confidence in ourselves, in our abilities, in our potential. True, there is still a lot to be accomplished, but we can be rightfully proud of what we have already achieved. This is our joint achievement, a solid foundation for future progress. Our nation – independent, free, and strong – has tackled successfully the most formidable challenges. As we stand on the brink of a new year, we think about the future. We are confident that everything is going to be all right. We will continue to advance. We know for sure that Russia’s destiny and well-being of its people has always been and will remain our absolute value. Sincere love for our Motherland gives our lives a deep sense of purpose, while determination to make our own contribution to protecting its sovereignty, security, interests, and freedom of development has become a matter of honour for us. As we welcome the New Year, the thoughts and hopes of families and friends, of millions of people across Russia are with our soldiers and commanders. You are the true heroes who undertook a great task and immense responsibility of defending Russia and ensuring peace and security for our nation. We are proud of your bravery and valour and we believe in you. In your honour, in honour of the 80th anniversary of Great Victory and as a tribute to the memory of our ancestors who have always defended the Motherland, the upcoming year 2025 has been declared the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland in Russia. We are the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of the generation that crushed Nazism. We remain loyal to the legacy and traditions of our veterans. Friends, New Year’s Eve always holds a special place in our hearts, filling us with warmth and hope that our dreams, aspirations, and best intentions will come to fruition. As the countdown to the New Year begins, we find ourselves surrounded by our near and dear ones: our family, children, parents, grandchildren, our friends and comrades-in-arms. I wish happiness and prosperity to our every home and every family, and to our beloved country, Russia. Together, we can achieve anything. Happy New Year, friends! Happy 2025!

Dear all, Happy New Year! #NewYear#NewYear2025

🇷🇺 MAIN FOREIGN POLICY RESULTS IN 2024 Read in full In the outgoing year, Russian diplomacy made energetic efforts to implement the Concept of the Foreign Policy of the Russian Federation approved by President Vladimir Putin in March 2023. While the collective West made attempts to preserve the rudiments of its global dominance and impose a “rules-based international order,” Russia proposed a constructive alternative by advocating for the unconditional adherence to the principles of the UN Charter in all their completeness and interconnectedness, including in relation to settling the crisis in Ukraine and other conflicts <...>. By putting forth new initiatives for Eurasian security and against neocolonialism, Russia provided a new ideological framework for its policy course to enhance its standing on the international arena as one of the leading centres in a multipolar world. ✅ The implementation of the strategic initiative for creating an architecture of indivisible security in Eurasia, presented by the President of Russia in June, has begun. <...> ✅ Bilateral agreements on security guarantees were signed with Belarus and the DPRK, regulating the response in the event of armed aggression against either party. Moscow and Minsk also took practical steps in the field of nuclear weapons as a measure to deter a potential aggressor. <...> ✅ The economic potential of Greater Eurasia was strengthened this year through the promotion of the project to develop the North-South International Transport Corridor. <...> ✅ Russia launched the implementation of the foreign policy initiative on international cooperation in countering neocolonialism. 🤝 President Vladimir Putin’s state visits to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan confirmed the proximity of our foreign policy approaches, and consolidated promising areas of cooperation, including joint production and logistics projects, in the bilateral agenda. 🤝 President Vladimir Putin’s first-ever state visit to Azerbaijan in August served as evidence of the intensive development of Russia-Azerbaijan bilateral relations. 🤝 The overarching partnership and strategic interaction with China reached a new level following the state visit by President Vladimir Putin to China in May. The People’s Republic of China consolidated its role as Russia’s largest foreign trade partner, as mutual trade reached the equivalent of $240 billion, with 95 percent of payments made in national currencies. 🤝 The special privileged strategic partnership with India received a serious boost thanks to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official visit to Russia in July, which paved the way for expanding cooperation in finance, investment, transport, energy, science and technology. 🤝 President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Pyongyang in June opened a new chapter in the cooperation with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, during which the parties signed the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that set guidelines for deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries on a broad range of issues. 🤝 President Vladimir Putin’s official visits to Vietnam and Mongolia improved the dynamics of the relations with these countries, mainly in energy, transport and industrial production, as well as in large investment projects. 🤩🤩🤩 The Kazan Summit of BRICS became the flagship international event, which, under Russia’s chairmanship, convened for the first time in an expanded format and definitively dispelled the myth of Russia’s international isolation. Under Russia’s Chairship in the CIS, the development of cooperation in energy, chemical industry, and several other sectors was given a serious boost. The Agreement on Free Trade in Services, Establishment, Operation, and Investment in the CIS entered into effect. 🌍 The First Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum was held in November, where the participating countries detailed plans for the implementation of agreements on advancing Russia’s cooperation with African states across the board #Outcomes2024

❄️New Year’s Moscow: An Atmosphere of Celebration and Unity 🎄On the eve of the New Year, Moscow transforms into a symbol of winter festivities and togetherness. The city’s central streets adorned with dazzling lights, shimmering garlands, and majestic snow-covered Christmas trees create an unparalleled atmosphere of holiday magic. 🤍Moscow welcomes guests from around the world to experience its festive splendor and become part of the spirit of goodwill and unity that defines New Year celebrations in Russia. 🇷🇺#Moscow#Russia#NewYear#RussianMFA

📄 President of Russia Vladimir Putin extended his heartfelt greetings on Christmas and the New Year 2025 to Heads of a number of foreign states and governments. Among them are: 🇦🇿 President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, 🇦🇲 President of the Republic of Armenia Vaagn Khachaturyan, 🇦🇲 Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, 🇧🇾 President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, 🇰🇿 President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, 🇰🇬 President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, 🇹🇯 President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, 🇹🇲 President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, 🇹🇲 Speaker of Halk Maslahaty (People’s Council) of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, 🇺🇿 President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, 🤝 President of the Republic of South Ossetia Alan Gagloyev, 🇧🇴 President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia Luiz Alberto Arce, 🇧🇷 President of the Federal Republic of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, 🇭🇺 Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, 🇻🇪 President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro, 🇻🇳 General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam To Lam, 🇻🇳 President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Luong Cuong, 🇮🇳 President of the Republic of India Droupadi Murmu, 🇮🇳 Prime Minister of the Republic of India Narendra Modi, 🇨🇳 President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, 🇰🇵 Chairman of State Affairs of the DPRK Kim Jong-un, 🇨🇺 President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, 🇱🇦 President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith, 🇲🇳 President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, 🇲🇲 Chairman of the State Administration Council and Prime Minister of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing, 🇳🇮 President of the Republic of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega, 🇻🇦 Pope Francis, 🇷🇸 President of the Republic Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, 🇹🇷 President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, 🇪🇹 Prime Minister of the Federative Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed, 🇿🇦 President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa. Messages of greetings were also sent to some former Heads of state and government including, Raul Castro, Robert Kocharyan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Serzh Sargsyan, Gerhard Schroder.

🎙Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with TASS news agency (December 30, 2024) Key points: #Ukraine#USA • We have not received any official signals [from the USA] regarding a settlement in Ukraine. • We are not happy with the proposals made by members of the Trump team to postpone Ukraine’s admission to NATO for 20 years and to station British and European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. • What we need is reliable and legally binding agreements that would eliminate the root causes of the conflict and seal a mechanism precluding the possibility of their violation. #RussiaUSA#NATO • We are ready to renew the political dialogue which Washington terminated after the start of the special military operation, if the United States is ready for this. Since it was the Americans who cut it off, it is for them to make the first move. • They [the West] have been long relying on efforts to interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries, including our closest neighbours, as their foreign policy tool. For many years, Washington and its satellites have been acting this way in an effort to deter and contain their geopolitical rivals and do away with any unwanted actors, as confirmed by what happened in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Ukraine. #Georgia • The developments in Georgia stem from the double standards when caring for democracy and human rights serves as a pretext for overturning election results after even the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights with its tainted reputation recognised the election as being free and fair. Why do they want to change the results? Just because the puppet masters in Washington and Brussels did not find the way people voted there to their liking. • The United States and the European Union are trying to impose a distorted vision on Tbilisi which consists of dividing everyone into those who are with us and those who are against us. Meanwhile, it seems that Georgian authorities have opted for a sovereign policy which meets the country’s national interests. They refuse to act as pawns manipulated by the West in its effort to destabilise Georgia, undermine its economy and incite escalation in its relations with Russia. #Syria#MiddleEast • The Syrians’ hopes for improvements after a convincing defeat of international terrorism, including with the help of Russia’s Aerospace Forces, have not materialised. • Washington, which has effectively occupied the resource-rich north-eastern part of Syria and is putting serious sanctions pressure on Damascus together with a coalition of its satellites, bears a great deal of blame for this. This line for strangling the Syrian economy stirred up social discontent. • Trying to maintain its influence [in the Middle East and North Africa], Washington actively interfered in the internal affairs of Arab countries and aggressively drew new dividing lines there. Iraq and Libya are still trying to clear up the consequences of the Americans and their satellites’ reckless behaviour. #China • The Americans are taking inciting actions in the Taiwan Strait and supplying weapons to Taipei while forging a quasi-political dialogue with the local authorities. • It is clear to us that this policy pursued by Washington in violation of its obligations to Beijing on Taiwan is part of their strategy to step up military and political pressure on the PRC and eventually undermine regional security at the eastern end of the Eurasian continent. • Russia reaffirms its adherence to the #OneChina principle, recognises that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the People’s Republic of China, opposes any form of “Taiwan independence,” and firmly supports China’s measures to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and achieve national reunification. Read in full

On January 1, 2025, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) marks its 10th anniversary since the entry into force of the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union on May 29, 2014, marking the beginning of its operations as a regional integration entity. 📊Over the past decade, the EAEU and its member states—Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus—have achieved significant results. The internal market has been established, the geography of international cooperation has expanded, and mutual trade among the five member countries has shown steady growth. 🤝The member states have also strengthened their mutually beneficial collaboration across a range of areas, including customs, tariff and non-tariff regulation, technical standards, industrial cooperation, transport and logistics, energy, and agriculture. 🗺️Throughout its 10 years of operation, the Union has become an important player in the global economic landscape This is reflected in the EAEU's network of international contacts, which includes free trade agreements with Vietnam, Iran, and Serbia, two non-preferential agreements with China, and over 80 memoranda of cooperation through the EAEU's supranational body, the Eurasian Economic Commission, with countries and integration associations worldwide. ❗️Ongoing efforts are focused on finalizing trade liberalization agreements with Egypt, Indonesia, and the UAE. Additionally, cooperation with observer states—Cuba and Uzbekistan—remains an important component of the Union's external relations. #RussianMFA#EAEU

🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putinsummed 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’sbiggest 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. Read in full