🎙Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at the 46th meeting of the Council of Heads of Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation under the Russian Foreign Ministry on interregional cooperation with African countries(April 8, 2026, Moscow)
💬 Russia and Africa are bound by long-standing and close ties.
Today, the countries of the continent are striving to finally overcome the remnants of colonial dependence and to strengthen their national sovereignty, above all in the economic and financial spheres.
Those who describe the current period as Africa’s “second awakening” after the decolonisation of the 1960s are right. It was then that political independence was proclaimed, above all thanks to the decisive role of the Soviet Union, which promoted the relevant declarations at the UN.
☝️Recent years have shown that neo-colonial dependence has by no means disappeared. Economically and financially, in terms of control over trade routes and financial flows, Africa still does not enjoy full independence and continues, in economic terms, to serve as a source of raw materials.
👉The lion’s share of added value is still generated elsewhere – to a large extent, and decisively so, in the former metropolitan powers.
African partners spoke about this more than once at the two Russia-African Union summits held in Sochi in 2019 and in St Petersburg in 2023. The decisions adopted at those summits should serve as guidelines in preparing for the next summit, which we plan to hold later this year.
All this will contribute to Africa’s economic emancipation, ensure that it reaps the proper returns and benefits from its natural resources, and support the emergence of the African continent as one of the centres of the rising #MultipolarWorld.
🤝 I would like to stress in particular that we are restoring our presence on the African continent fairly rapidly, after it declined sharply during the breakup of the Soviet Union. At present, Russia has 45 embassies operating across the continent, with four more set to open in the near future.
The key upcoming event on the foreign policy calendar is the third Russia-Africa Summit. It is due to be held in Moscow – this has been agreed – in late October this year. Preparations are currently underway. We count on the active participation of Russian regions in the relevant thematic sessions of this summit.
I would once again like to underscore the special importance we attach to the interregional dimension of Russia-Africa relations. It is a solid foundation which, as it grows stronger, helps ensure the steady development of relations with our partners at the national level.
Read in full
🎙Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's remarks at the 46th meeting of the Council of Heads of Constituent Entities of the Russian Federation under the Russian Foreign Ministry on interregional cooperation with African countries(April 8, 2026, Moscow)
💬 Russia and Africa are bound by long-standing and close ties.
Today, the countries of the continent are striving to finally overcome the remnants of colonial dependence and to strengthen their national sovereignty, above all in the economic and financial spheres.
Those who describe the current period as Africa’s “second awakening” after the decolonisation of the 1960s are right. It was then that political independence was proclaimed, above all thanks to the decisive role of the Soviet Union, which promoted the relevant declarations at the UN.
☝️Recent years have shown that neo-colonial dependence has by no means disappeared. Economically and financially, in terms of control over trade routes and financial flows, Africa still does not enjoy full independence and continues, in economic terms, to serve as a source of raw materials.
👉The lion’s share of added value is still generated elsewhere – to a large extent, and decisively so, in the former metropolitan powers.
African partners spoke about this more than once at the two Russia-African Union summits held in Sochi in 2019 and in St Petersburg in 2023. The decisions adopted at those summits should serve as guidelines in preparing for the next summit, which we plan to hold later this year.
All this will contribute to Africa’s economic emancipation, ensure that it reaps the proper returns and benefits from its natural resources, and support the emergence of the African continent as one of the centres of the rising #MultipolarWorld.
🤝 I would like to stress in particular that we are restoring our presence on the African continent fairly rapidly, after it declined sharply during the breakup of the Soviet Union. At present, Russia has 45 embassies operating across the continent, with four more set to open in the near future.
The key upcoming event on the foreign policy calendar is the third Russia-Africa Summit. It is due to be held in Moscow – this has been agreed – in late October this year. Preparations are currently underway. We count on the active participation of Russian regions in the relevant thematic sessions of this summit.
I would once again like to underscore the special importance we attach to the interregional dimension of Russia-Africa relations. It is a solid foundation which, as it grows stronger, helps ensure the steady development of relations with our partners at the national level.
Read in full
🗓 May 29, by decision of the Heads of States of the Eurasian Economic Union, is celebrated annually as #EAEUDay.
January 1 marked 1️⃣0️⃣years since the Treaty on the EAEU (signed on May 29, 2014) came into force, launching the Union as a regional integration association.
Over this time, the EAEU has proven to be asuccessful project of regional integration based on equality and consideration of each member’s interests. The Union has become an independent and self-sufficient centre of the emerging #MultipolarWorld.
The member-states of the Union — the EAEU "Five" — Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia — have achieved significant progress: the Union's internal market is functioning and improving, mutual trade is demonstrating sustainable growth, cooperation is becoming closer in such areas as transportation, logistics, industry, agriculture, energy and food security.
📈Economic indicators speak for themselves: according to estimates available, the combined GDP of the EAEU member-states has increased from 1.6 to 2.5 trillion dollars over the 10 years of the Union's development.
In 2024, the growth of the GDP (on average in the Union) was recorded as 4.4%, thus, outpacing the global average growth of 3.3%. Trade with third countries has increased by 60%, while the share of the national currencies in mutual trade within the EAEU has reached 90%.
The Eurasian Economic Union has firmly established itself as a major actorin global economic affairs with an extensive network of partnerships. Today, free trade agreements of the EAEU with Vietnam🇻🇳, Iran🇮🇷, and Serbia🇷🇸 are already in force, with the two non-preferential agreements have been signed with China🇨🇳. Active efforts are being made to align the Union with China’s Belt and Road initiative.
The EAEU maintains close cooperation with the Union's observer-states, such as Uzbekistan🇺🇿, Cuba🇨🇺, and Iran🇮🇷. The trade talks the EAEU is holding with Indonesia🇮🇩, the UAE🇦🇪, and Mongolia🇲🇳 are nearing completion.
📰 An excerpt form the interview by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk for 'Rossiyskaya Gazeta' (May 28, 2025):
💬 <...> “We consider the EAEU to be the economic nucleus of Northern Eurasia — an area that has achieved a high level of socio-economic development and largely resolved issues of food and energy security.
This makes the EAEU "Five" an attractive partner for the Global South countries, many of which are still fighting the implications of their colonial dependence on Western Europe. <...>
Eurasia holds a vast creative potential, with nations both in the North and South committed to progress. Many of these countries are naturally seeking cooperation with Russia.”
🎙 From a briefing by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova(May 20, 2025):
💬 “Today, the EAEU stands as a paradigm of successful integration, where cooperation is built on principles of equality, trust, and respect, with due consideration for the interests of each member state.
We extend our congratulations ahead of EAEU Day and express gratitude to our colleagues from member states and the Eurasian Economic Commission for their productive collaboration. We remain committed to unlocking further economic potential and deepening integration for the benefit of our nations’ citizens and businesses.”
🗓 May 29, by decision of the Heads of States of the Eurasian Economic Union, is celebrated annually as #EAEUDay.
January 1 marked 1️⃣0️⃣years since the Treaty on the EAEU (signed on May 29, 2014) came into force, launching the Union as a regional integration association.
Over this time, the EAEU has proven to be asuccessful project of regional integration based on equality and consideration of each member’s interests. The Union has become an independent and self-sufficient centre of the emerging #MultipolarWorld.
The member-states of the Union — the EAEU "Five" — Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia — have achieved significant progress: the Union's internal market is functioning and improving, mutual trade is demonstrating sustainable growth, cooperation is becoming closer in such areas as transportation, logistics, industry, agriculture, energy and food security.
📈Economic indicators speak for themselves: according to estimates available, the combined GDP of the EAEU member-states has increased from 1.6 to 2.5 trillion dollars over the 10 years of the Union's development.
In 2024, the growth of the GDP (on average in the Union) was recorded as 4.4%, thus, outpacing the global average growth of 3.3%. Trade with third countries has increased by 60%, while the share of the national currencies in mutual trade within the EAEU has reached 90%.
The Eurasian Economic Union has firmly established itself as a major actorin global economic affairs with an extensive network of partnerships. Today, free trade agreements of the EAEU with Vietnam🇻🇳, Iran🇮🇷, and Serbia🇷🇸 are already in force, with the two non-preferential agreements have been signed with China🇨🇳. Active efforts are being made to align the Union with China’s Belt and Road initiative.
The EAEU maintains close cooperation with the Union's observer-states, such as Uzbekistan🇺🇿, Cuba🇨🇺, and Iran🇮🇷. The trade talks the EAEU is holding with Indonesia🇮🇩, the UAE🇦🇪, and Mongolia🇲🇳 are nearing completion.
📰 An excerpt form the interview by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk for 'Rossiyskaya Gazeta' (May 28, 2025):
💬 <...> “We consider the EAEU to be the economic nucleus of Northern Eurasia — an area that has achieved a high level of socio-economic development and largely resolved issues of food and energy security.
This makes the EAEU "Five" an attractive partner for the Global South countries, many of which are still fighting the implications of their colonial dependence on Western Europe. <...>
Eurasia holds a vast creative potential, with nations both in the North and South committed to progress. Many of these countries are naturally seeking cooperation with Russia.”
🎙 From a briefing by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova(May 20, 2025):
💬 “Today, the EAEU stands as a paradigm of successful integration, where cooperation is built on principles of equality, trust, and respect, with due consideration for the interests of each member state.
We extend our congratulations ahead of EAEU Day and express gratitude to our colleagues from member states and the Eurasian Economic Commission for their productive collaboration. We remain committed to unlocking further economic potential and deepening integration for the benefit of our nations’ citizens and businesses.”
🗓 May 29, by decision of the Heads of States of the Eurasian Economic Union, is celebrated annually as #EAEUDay.
January 1 marked 1️⃣0️⃣years since the Treaty on the EAEU (signed on May 29, 2014) came into force, launching the Union as a regional integration association.
Over this time, the EAEU has proven to be asuccessful project of regional integration based on equality and consideration of each member’s interests. The Union has become an independent and self-sufficient centre of the emerging #MultipolarWorld.
The member-states of the Union — the EAEU "Five" — Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia — have achieved significant progress: the Union's internal market is functioning and improving, mutual trade is demonstrating sustainable growth, cooperation is becoming closer in such areas as transportation, logistics, industry, agriculture, energy and food security.
📈Economic indicators speak for themselves: according to estimates available, the combined GDP of the EAEU member-states has increased from 1.6 to 2.5 trillion dollars over the 10 years of the Union's development.
In 2024, the growth of the GDP (on average in the Union) was recorded as 4.4%, thus, outpacing the global average growth of 3.3%. Trade with third countries has increased by 60%, while the share of the national currencies in mutual trade within the EAEU has reached 90%.
The Eurasian Economic Union has firmly established itself as a major actorin global economic affairs with an extensive network of partnerships. Today, free trade agreements of the EAEU with Vietnam🇻🇳, Iran🇮🇷, and Serbia🇷🇸 are already in force, with the two non-preferential agreements have been signed with China🇨🇳. Active efforts are being made to align the Union with China’s Belt and Road initiative.
The EAEU maintains close cooperation with the Union's observer-states, such as Uzbekistan🇺🇿, Cuba🇨🇺, and Iran🇮🇷. The trade talks the EAEU is holding with Indonesia🇮🇩, the UAE🇦🇪, and Mongolia🇲🇳 are nearing completion.
📰 An excerpt form the interview by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk for 'Rossiyskaya Gazeta' (May 28, 2025):
💬 <...> “We consider the EAEU to be the economic nucleus of Northern Eurasia — an area that has achieved a high level of socio-economic development and largely resolved issues of food and energy security.
This makes the EAEU "Five" an attractive partner for the Global South countries, many of which are still fighting the implications of their colonial dependence on Western Europe. <...>
Eurasia holds a vast creative potential, with nations both in the North and South committed to progress. Many of these countries are naturally seeking cooperation with Russia.”
🎙 From a briefing by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova(May 20, 2025):
💬 “Today, the EAEU stands as a paradigm of successful integration, where cooperation is built on principles of equality, trust, and respect, with due consideration for the interests of each member state.
We extend our congratulations ahead of EAEU Day and express gratitude to our colleagues from member states and the Eurasian Economic Commission for their productive collaboration. We remain committed to unlocking further economic potential and deepening integration for the benefit of our nations’ citizens and businesses.”
#BRICS2024
🎙 President of Russia Vladimir Putin's remarks at the Plenary Session of the XVI BRICS Summit in the BRICS Plus/Outreach format(Kazan, October 24, 2024)
👉 In full
💬Vladimir Putin: I am delighted to welcome all of you to the BRICS Plus/Outreach-format meeting. This inclusive platform has proven its worth by enabling the BRICS group participants to engage in a direct and open dialogue with their friends and partners. <...>
According to our agenda, we will discuss the most pressing issues the international community is facing today, including sustainable development, eradication of poverty, climate change adaptation, exchanging technology and knowledge, fighting terrorism and transborder crime.
We will focus particularly on the peaceful resolution of conflicts, certainly including a serious discussion of the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.
<...>
#MultipolarWorld
🌐 All our countries share similar aspirations, values and a vision of a new democratic world order that reflects cultural and civilisational diversity. We are confident that such a system should be guided by the universal principles of respect for the legitimate interests and sovereign choice of nations, respect for international law and a spirit of mutually beneficial, honest co-operation.
☝️ The transition to a more just international system is not easy. Its development is being hampered by forces whose thinking and actions continue to be aimed at dominating everything and everyone. Under the guise of a rule-based order they are imposing on the world, they are actually attempting to contain growing competition and prevent the independent development of countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America that they cannot control.
<...>
#MiddleEast
The current round of the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation is probably one of the most sanguinary in the long list of conflicts. Over 40,000 people, most of them civilians, have been killed in the ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip. I would like to emphasise that we have always come out against the use of terrorist methods. <...>
Since the start of the escalation, we have joined forces with our BRICS and other partners to contribute to a settlement. <...>
I would like to repeat that the main condition for restoring peace and stability in the Palestinian territories is the realisation of the two-state formula approved by the UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.
<...>
#EurasianSecurity
The countries represented in this room have immense opportunities and resources at their disposal and play a prominent role on the international stage. They have been using their standing to enhance global security and promote sustainable development around the world. <...>
Russia advocated the idea of creating an inclusive system of equitable and indivisible security for Eurasia free from any discrimination.
<...>
#UnitedNations
🇺🇳 The UN must retain its central role in efforts to maintain peace and security and facilitate sustainable and steady development.
To ensure the effective functioning of the UN in the future, we believe it is important to adapt its structures to the realities of the 21st century, expanding the representation of countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, including those whose leaders are present here, in the Security Council and other key international bodies.
An effort to reform UN development institutions and global financial structures has long been overdue. <...>
The founding fathers of the United Nations believed that its purpose was to enable nations to come together and agree on joint actions.
***
❗️Russia, like all BRICS countries, is open to cooperation with all countries of the Global South and East to promote inclusive and sustainable development and ultimately build a better world.
🇷🇺🇰🇿 October 22 marks 3️⃣3️⃣ years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Our nations share common cultural, spiritual and moral values, centuries of living in a union-state, and mutual achievements and victories.
Today's Russian-Kazakhstani relations are characterized as strategic partnership and alliance, and are based on long-lasting friendship, mutual trust and respect for each other’s interests.
🤝 The Leaders of Russia and Kazakhstan have developed close and cordial personal relations during many years of cooperation. Both countries' Presidents often hold talks and telephone conversations, exchanging views on current bilateral, regional and global issues. Our Foreign Ministers also maintain regular contacts.
In October 2024, President Vladimir Putin paid a state visit to Astana, where the Sides coordinated a solid package of documents that strengthened the architecture of our multifaceted bilateral cooperation.
📈Russia is one of Kazakhstan’s largest trade, economic and investment partners. Mutual trade turnover reached a record of more than $28 billion in 2023 and was maintained at the same level in 2024. We are also increasing the share of national currencies (almost 90%) in mutual trade operations.
There are over 23'000 businesses with Russian assets in Kazakhstan. Russia’s investment in the country's economy have exceeded $10 billion. The two countries are implementing over 60 major joint projects in all spheres of the Kazakhstani national economy.
Our interaction in the oil and gas sector is developing dynamically. Russia’s Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, Tatneft and LUKOIL corporations hold a substantial position in Kazakhstan. Both countries' oil and energy companies are jointly developing hydrocarbon fields, processing energy resources and expanding the pipeline systems.
Russia and Kazakhstan were among the initiators of integration processes in the post-Soviet space, and are the founding-nations of the Eurasian Economic Union (#EAEU). Moscow and Astana are working together within the #CIS, #CSTO and #SCO. Kazakhstan supports the Russian initiative of building an equal and indivisible security architecture in Eurasia.
Our countries are at the forefront of the efforts to create a more just #MultipolarWorld order, and promote similar views on the key role of international law in international relations and the importance of respecting the interests of all countries in the sphere of global security.
✍️ An excerpt from article by President of Russia Vladimir Putin in the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper, "Russia – Kazakhstan: a Forward-Looking Alliance Demanded by Life" (November 27, 2024)
“The cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan has been a genuine alliance, which continues to develop actively in all directions. <...>
Russia is willing to continue developing multifaceted relations of friendship and alliance with the Republic of Kazakhstan for the benefit of our peoples.”
#RussiaKazakhstan