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Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions following talks with Foreign Minister of the State of Eritrea Osman Saleh, Moscow, April 27, 2022 We held useful and substantive talks, during which we pointed out that the traditionally friendly relations between Russia and Eritrea continued to develop successfully despite the current international issues. We are promoting political dialogue and contacts between our agencies that are responsible for trade, the economy and humanitarian ties. Today we agreed to provide all-round assistance to businesspeople in our countries aimed at coordinating and implementing mutually beneficial projects in energy, transport infrastructure, ICT and agriculture. Both our countries are interested in this. We paid considerable attention to the task of protecting our practical cooperation from the negative effects of the unilateral illegal sanctions adopted by the “collective West,” which has made sanctions its main and almost the only instrument of its foreign policy. We noted the similarity of our views on the main current issues, including the importance of making international affairs more democratic and ensuring the right of nations to choose their own future and their political and socioeconomic development paths and models. We are closely coordinating our actions at the UN and other multilateral platforms. We have a common approach to countering the insistent attempts by the Western countries to undermine the foundations of the UN and the principles of international law and to establish a unipolar world by promoting the domination of the West in all spheres of international affairs under Washington’s rigid guidance. We held a detailed discussion on the African agenda, during which we pointed out the importance of normalising the situation in Africa’s hot spots as soon as possible. We highlighted the developments in the African Horn region. Just like our Eritrean friends, we believe that a comprehensive approach is the main instrument for settling regional crises, which calls for coordinating the efforts of the African countries themselves with support from the international community. We reaffirmed that Russia, including as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, will continue to contribute to stronger stability and security in Africa, including on the basis of the African Solutions to African Problems principle. Decisions must not be forced on the Africans from without. However, many such attempts have been made. At the request of our friends, we presented out views on the situation in and around Ukraine. We pointed out once again that the goal of our actions is to protect people from the military threat posed by the Kiev regime and to demilitarise and denazify that country. We expressed appreciation for Eritrea’s objective and responsible position regarding the situation in Ukraine. We value its understanding of the fundamental nature of that situation, which is inseparably connected with the comprehensive crisis of the European security architecture brought about by the aggressive policy of NATO and its blatant disregard for the obligations adopted at the highest level, including at the OSCE, not to strengthen one’s security at the expense of the security of other states. We informed our colleagues about yesterday’s talks in Moscow with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who, among other things, emphasised the humanitarian dimension of the current situation. We also talked about Russia’s truly impressive efforts to address the humanitarian issues Ukraine is facing. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke in favour of the United Nations working together with the International Committee of the Red Cross to facilitate the creation of humanitarian convoys and evacuating civilians. President Vladimir Putin empathised with this initiative. We hold a positive view of UN’s commitment to playing a constructive and impartial role.