Russian Consulate in Cape Town

⚡️ Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’sstatement and answers to questions at the Government Hour hearings during a plenary session of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (February 11, 2026): Key takeaways: • The world is undergoing a long-term transition to a multipolar order, marked by growing competition between the Western minority and the World Majority. • Western countries continue to pursue neo-colonial policies, double standards, and attempts to preserve dominance, including through pressure, destabilisation, and military actions. • Russia views current global upheavals as part of a profound and lasting shift in international relations, not a temporary phase. • Strategic stability is deteriorating due to Western actions, while Russia maintains responsible conduct and observes arms control limits as long as the US does the same. • The Arctic should remain a zone of peace and cooperation; Russia will respond if military threats against it emerge there. • Russia rejects Western double standards on self-determination, defending the choices of #Crimea, #Donbass, and #Novorossiya. ❗️A sustainable settlement in Ukraine is impossible without addressing root causes; understandings reached with the US in 2025 remain valid. • Russia continues negotiations to ensure its security, protect Russian-speaking populations, and eliminate threats from the Kiev regime and its external sponsors. • The comprehensive strategic partnership with #China is a stabilising factor in global affairs and a cornerstone of regional security. • Strategic partnerships with #Belarus, the #DPRK, #Iran, the #CIS and the #CSTO members strengthen regional stability and Russia’s security. • Russia is deepening ties across #Eurasia, including with India, Türkiye, the Arab world, Southeast Asia, and regional organisations such as the #EAEU, #SCO, and #ASEAN. • The #Russia-#Africa partnership is expanding, with preparations underway for the Third Russia-Africa Summit. • #BRICS is emerging as a key platform for the World Majority, promoting cooperation free from sanctions and Western restrictions. • Russia supports #GlobalSouth efforts against modern forms of colonialism and unilateral coercive measures, including through new UN international days. READ IN FULL

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks following the SCO Foreign Ministers Council Meeting (Tianjin, July 15, 2025) Key talking points: 💬 The meeting of the #SCO Council of Foreign Ministers has just concluded in the city of Tianjin. This marked the culminating stage of preparations for the upcoming SCO Summit, which will likewise be held here in Tianjin in late August — early September of this year. All participants unanimously acknowledged the business-like, focusednature of our efforts. In this context, we attach particular significance to this morning’s meeting with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, who shared his assessments of joint efforts under China’s chairmanship and his vision of the key tasks for the progressive development of our Organisation. 🌐 The discussion confirmed a shared understanding of the growing importance of the SCO’s collective potential in both regional and global affairs. <...> The prevailing trend towards further consolidation of the SCO and the enhancement of its role on the international stage is encouraging. We affirmed that our common approach of strengthening the SCO as oneof the central pillars of a more equitable, #MultipolarWorld order remains unchanged. <...> Considerable number of nations are seeking to join the SCO’s work. The geographical scope of our structure spans a significant portion of the Eurasian continent. We noted that cooperation within our Organisation objectively contributes to the creation of an architecture of equal and indivisible security across Eurasia. <...> We expressed support for further expanding the SCO’s engagement with external actors. A new step in this direction will be the upcoming high-level meetings in the #SCO format at the Tianjin Summit — the first of their kind. We anticipate the participation of representatives from approximately 30 states and multilateral organisations in this event. This underscores the SCO’s growing constructive agenda and its appeal to nations of the #GlobalSouth and the #WorldMajority. We provided our colleagues with detailed assessments of the latest developments in Ukraine and reaffirmed our well-known approaches to resolving the crisis, repeatedly articulated by President of Russia Vladimir Putin. In turn, our partners demonstrated an understanding of these positions. Once again, we emphasised the necessity of addressing the root causes of the conflict, recognising the existing territorial realities <...>. Regarding the developments in the #MiddleEast, it was noted that sustainable stabilisation in the region is impossible without a just and comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict. These strategic guidelines, building on the accumulated experience of the ongoing upgrading, will be enshrined in the SCO Development Strategy through 2035. 👉 The resolutions adopted by Leaders on the aforementioned matters will establish a foundation for effective preparations in advance of the Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government, scheduled for November 17–18, 2025, in Moscow under Russia’s chairmanship. Read in full