Embassy of Russia in Singapore

An Agreement on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Russian Federation and the Islamic Republic of Iran will be an important factor of strengthening Russia-Iran relations. The agreement is being prepared for signing in the near future. It will formalise the parties’ commitment to close defence cooperation and interaction in the interests of regional and global peace and security. Russia-China relations of strategic interaction and comprehensive partnership are extremely important for strengthening stability in Eurasia and ensure the future strengthening of our creative cooperation in all spheres to the benefit of our nations. These relations are conducive to aligning integration processes on our continent and are a major stabilising factor worldwide in the context of the destructive activities of the collective West, which is trying to maintain its hegemony. In addition to bilateral efforts to strengthen security, a special role in Eurasia belongs to multilateral associations such as the SCO, ASEAN, the CSTO, the CIS, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the CICA. These forums have a packed agenda on various aspects of security. The regional players’ growing awareness of responsibility for settling disputes in their part of Eurasia is clearly manifested in the operations of the 3+3 South Caucasus Regional Cooperation Platform, the Moscow Format of Consultations on Afghanistan and a mechanism involving neighbouring countries, and the Astana platform on Syria. I believe that the experience all these platforms have accumulated should be widely used to align all the existing initiatives, including in the context of building a Eurasian security architecture. In June 2024, the Foreign Minister of Belarus and I signed a joint address to the chief executives of Eurasian multilateral organisations inviting them to join our initiative on drafting a Eurasian Charter of Diversity and Multipolarity in the 21st Century. Our Belarusian friends put forth this idea at the first conference in Minsk a year ago. We actively supported them. We believe that the Eurasian Charter should be formulated as a policy document on the framework principles of Eurasian security architecture based on the norms of the UN Charter in their entirety and interconnectedness, as I pointed out on numerous occasions. As far as I know, the agenda of this conference includes a separate session for discussing the essential elements of the Eurasian Charter. We hope that it will contribute to the coordination of recommendations on saving our common space from military and any other threats in the interests of billions of people. Remember that Alexander Lukashenko, who has spoken just now, has invited all of us to the next conference scheduled for 2025. I would like to wish you success.

The situation in the Middle East portion of Eurasia is unfolding in a still more dramatic manner. The unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the agreements on the Iranian nuclear programme, endorsed by the UN Security Council, alongside Washington’s relentless ambition to monopolise the Arab-Israeli settlement process, has had dire consequences, pushing this strategically pivotal region to the brink of total destabilisation and a major conflict. The Biden administration is obstructing any initiatives to resolve the plight of the Palestinian people. While we condemn every aspect of terrorism, we categorically reject the collective punishment of the inhabitants of Gaza and the West Bank. The West tends to remain silent on this matter; yet, in one year of Israel’s operation, twice as many Palestinian civilians have been killed compared to the number of civilian casualties on both sides of the Ukrainian conflict over the ten years following the Kiev state coup. The West has not ceased its destructive activities in other parts of the Eurasian continent either. In the South Caucasus, it persistently offers its services to normalise Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. Having departed Afghanistan after twenty years of occupation, the United States and its allies now seek to “break into” the delicate process of stabilisation in that country and are fabricating pretexts to resume their military presence in the countries of Central Asia. The aggressive actions of the United States, NATO, and the European Union have heightened the risks of fragmentation across our continent. The Eurasian security architecture under discussion at this conference is intended to serve as a constructive alternative to these adverse trends, to stabilise the military and political situation on the continent, to ensure its unity and interconnectedness, and to remove threats emanating from the western, Euro-Atlantic direction. It is obvious to us that there can be no returning to the previous models dominated by the United States with its claim to exclusiveness, in particular because life has not become better wherever it tried to dominate. There should be respect for the new geopolitical realities and international law provisions, with new ideas that are not based on the “might is right” law but on equality and a fair balance of interests. Our vision of a Eurasian architecture harmoniously aligns with the global security initiative advanced by President of China Xi Jinping. One of its key principles is the elimination of the root causes of conflicts everywhere, including the Middle East, the Balkans, Ukraine and Southeast Asia. This is the earnest of a fair world order and real multilateralism. I believe that our conference should make use of the increasing experience of formalising political and military confidence-building measures between states throughout our continent in accordance with their requirements and national potential. These measures should be based on life experience and practice. For example, we worked together with our Belarusian friends to draft a security concept for the Union State and are completing the drafting of a bilateral interstate treaty on security guarantees, which will be aimed at further strengthening our commitments on reliable mutual protection from external threats. In light of growing tensions in the east of our continent, we are focused on ensuring peace on the Korean Peninsula. As you are aware, seeking to promote bilateral ties, we have signed and ratified a Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. It should play a major role in ensuring our countries’ security and stabilising the situation in Northeast Asia.

Astana. Top-level documents, adopted at those summits, stated expressly that no one would strengthen their own security at the expense of other parties’ security, and that not a single group of countries and not a single organisation had the right to claim dominant positions in the OSCE region. All NATO leaders have endorsed this commitment; however, their actions have been decidedly contrary. Despite assurances made to the Soviet leadership and our numerous warnings over the past 20 years, the North Atlantic Alliance has been expanding eastward with undue haste, creating direct military threats to Russia immediately along our borders. It was this aggressive course of action that ultimately precipitated the Ukraine crisis, instigated by the state coup in Kiev in February 2014, orchestrated by Washington and its European allies. This coup brought ultra-nationalists to power, who then declared a campaign to eradicate all things Russian and commenced hostilities against millions of Russians and Russian-speaking people who refused to recognise the illegitimate authority of the putchists. These are the root causes of the crisis, which Western leaders today prefer to overlook, repeating their rote “return of Ukraine to the 1991 borders.” Their interest lies solely in the territory, not in the fate of the people whose ancestors have resided in Crimea, Donbass, and Novorossiya for centuries, and whom the leaders of the Kiev regime have publicly labelled as “subhumans” and “terrorists,” threatening to let their children decay in cellars. As early as 2021, Vladimir Zelensky demanded that all those feeling an affinity with Russian culture should relocate to Russia. Since 2014, Ukraine has consistently enacted laws prohibiting the Russian language in education, media, culture, and all other spheres. Recently, Ukrainian parliament banned the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Let me remind you that Article 1 of the UN Charter mandates respect for human rights for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. Yet, the West turns a blind eye to the gross violations of the Charter perpetrated by the Russophobic, racist regime in Kiev, whilst continuing to promote Vladimir Zelensky’s dead-end (one might even say thickhead) “peace formula” that demands Russia’s capitulation. A couple of weeks ago, this individual released an equally delusional “victory plan.” Naturally, neither the “formula,” the “plan,” nor the fanciful notions of Kiev-controlled Ukraine’s membership in NATO or the EU are bringing peace in Europe any closer. Stability in this part of the Eurasian continent will only be achieved with the provision of long-term, reliable security guarantees, as outlined in our initiatives of December 2021, which were rejected by the West, as the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, eloquently reminded us today. NATO appears unsatisfied with the conflict it has instigated against Russia through the agency of Kiev’s illegitimate administration at the OSCE space. Presently, the United States and its allies endeavour to transform the entirety of Eurasia into a theatre of geopolitical confrontation. The Alliance has declared, in its documents, that threats to it also emanate from the Asia-Pacific Region, including the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and it intends to assert its military dominance not solely in Europe, but also in the East of Eurasia. NATO is infiltrating the region under the guise of Indo-Pacific strategies, thereby undermining the inclusive mechanisms that have been carefully constructed around ASEAN over decades. In exchange, Washington is crafting various “troikas” and “fours,” such as AUKUS and the QUAD, blocs involving the US, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and other closed configurations with the explicit aim of containing China, isolating Russia, and exerting severe pressure on the DPRK.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks at a high-level plenary meeting of the International Conference on Eurasian Security, Minsk, October 31, 2024 Colleagues, friends, Allow me to sincerely thank the organisers of the conference, our Belarusian friends, for an invitation to address this influential forum that has been taking place in Minsk for the second time on the initiative of President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. Today, he opened the discussion in an impressive way. I believe that many ideas voiced by him will help us draft practical recommendations following this conference. Everyone admits that the establishment of a multipolar world order has become a long-term mainstream trend. Global transformations are a natural and irreversible process, linked with objective changes in the worldwide balance and the consolidation of new, non-Western centres of economic growth and influence. This trend helps make international relations more democratic. They should not be dominated by anyone and the principles of the UN Charter should be observed in their entirety and interlinked nature, rather than selectively. This is of paramount importance. The sovereign equality of states is a key principle of the UN Charter. This principle alone is the legal foundation of multipolarity. A commitment to this principle also determines our approach towards developing relations with countries of Eurasia, the largest continent boasting the greatest volume of natural resources and posting the most rapid development. Guided by this logic, President of Russia Vladimir Putin suggested establishing the Greater Eurasian Partnership in 2015 as the broadest integration framework in the interests of expanding and liberalising trade and investment ties, implementing trans-border infrastructure projects, developing the logistic network and harmonising integration processes. In turn, the Greater Eurasian Partnership will lay a solid economic and material foundation for building a system of equal and indivisible Eurasian security shielding the continent’s countries from common threats and challenges. Speaking at the Russian Foreign Ministry on June 14, 2024, President Vladimir Putin clearly stated our interest in establishing this system that would consist of interstate agreements and institutions stipulating the primary responsibility of signatory countries for resolving regional conflicts and maintaining stability, while preventing destructive foreign interference. I would like to emphasise that President of Russia Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that our perception of the Greater Eurasian Partnership and the system of Eurasian security presupposes their openness for all countries and associations of our continent without exception. This means that no one intends to shut the door to countries of western Eurasia. We will welcome their involvement in processes of common Eurasian cooperation but, certainly, on the basis of equality and provided that they renounce the hostile bloc policy and neo-colonial practices. This is an absolutely indispensable condition because things had worked out differently for a long time. For example, all schemes without exception(that relied on the Euro-Atlantic security concept aimed to preserve the dominant position of the United States and to contain its rivals, including Russia. NATO played the main role in this context. Everyone realises that NATO has completely subjugated the European Union that had apparently been established by Europeans for the sake of Europeans. The West flagrantly violated the Final (Helsinki) Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and other obligations and virtually privatised guiding OSCE bodies. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has commented on them rather eloquently today. The Organisation has failed to become a mechanism for realising the indivisible security principle that was proclaimed during its inception, and that was repeatedly reaffirmed, including at the 1999 summit in Istanbul and the 2010 summit in

🗣Embassy comment We noted a new masterpiece in 📰 the Straits Times by its international affairs correspondent Jonathan Eyal entitled “North Korean troops boost Russia’s Ukraine offensive, broadening war beyond Europe”, published today in its latest edition. 🙄The author's inability to face reality is truly disappointing. Instead of a frank admission that it was precisely with the instigation and participation of the West that the Kiev Nazi regime unleashed a hybrid war against Russia and continues to wage it, relying on the political and military-economic potential of the United States and its closest NATO allies, that, by the way, are trying to lure Asia-Pacific countries, including the Republic of Korea, into this bloody enterprise, we again hear empty, completely unsubstantiated talk, capable of captivating only those greedy for sensations, about the presence of North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia and their preparation to participate in military operations. According to the writer, it “is the clearest indication yet that the war in Ukraine is slowly morphing into a broader confrontation with global ramifications”. 😑How neat, isn’t it? One could not understand who the aggressor and who the object of aggression is, who has been fighting the nascent conflict for many years and who is adding oil to its flame. ☝To understand the problem we advise you, our reader, to get acquainted with the answer of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to the relevant question during the 🎙press conference following the BRICS Summit in Kazan. On October 24, 2024, Mr Putin clearly says: “With regard to our relations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, you may be aware that the Treaty on Strategic Partnership was ratified, I believe, just today. It has Article 4, and we have never doubted the fact that the DPRK leadership takes our agreements seriously. However, it is up to us to decide what we will do and how we are going to do it, and we will act in accordance with this article. First, we need to hold talks regarding the implementation of Article 4. However, we will be in contact with our North Korean friends to see how this process unfolds. In any case, the Russian army is acting confidently on all fronts, which is a well-known and undisputed fact. It is advancing on all sections of the frontline. Active operations are underway in the Kursk direction as well. A portion of the Ukrainian forces that invaded the Kursk Region, about 2,000 troops, has been blocked and encircled. Attempts are being made to break this group free from the outside and from within, but they have remained unsuccessful so far. The Russian army has begun an operation to eliminate this group.” 🤝For those who would like to delve into the topic in more detail, we recommend reading the Statement by our Permanent Representative to the UN Mr Vassily Nebenzia at UNSC Briefing on Ukraine dated October 30, 2024. It is available on the website of the Russian Permanent Mission at the link: https://russiaun.ru/en/news/nebenzia_unsc_ukraine_301024.

🎙 Statement by the Representative of the Delegation of the Russian Federation at the Thematic Discussion on "Outer Space (Disarmament Aspects)" in the First Committee of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly (New York, October 29, 2024) ⚠️ The course pursued by the United States and a number of Western countries towards placing weapons in outer space, building up the capabilities for the use of force against space objects (primarily through the development of weapon systems intended for the treat or use of force in, from or against outer space) and using outer space for combat operations continues to undermine international peace and security. <...> We would like to once again highlight in particular the extremely dangerous trend going beyond the harmless use of space technologies, which became evident during the events in Ukraine. We are talking about the components of civilian, including commercial, infrastructure in outer space engaged by the United States and its allies for military purposes. These States do not realize that such activities actually constitute indirect participation in armed conflicts. <...> We are convinced that it is still possible at the current stage to prevent a full‑scale arms race in outer space; the point of no return has not yet been passed. To these ends, we renew our call on UN Member States to reaffirm their commitment to existing international legally binding agreements governing outer space activities. At the national and international levels obligations should be undertaken not to place weapons of any kind in outer space (including in the Earth orbit and on celestial bodies) and the use or threat of force against and by means of outer space objects should be prohibited as well; it is important to establish a comprehensive ban on space strike weapons designed to destroy outer space objects. We would like to recall our specific proposals: ❌ not to use outer space objects as a means of destroying any targets on Earth, in the atmosphere or outer space; ❌ not to create, test or deploy weapons in outer space, not to use space weapons for missile defence, as anti-satellite means, not to attack targets on Earth or in the atmosphere, as well as to eliminate such systems already possessed by States; ❌ not to destroy, damage, disrupt the normal functioning or change the flight trajectory of other States’ outer space objects without their consent; ❌ not to assist or incite other States, groups of States, international, intergovernmental, as well as any non-governmental organizations, including non-governmental legal entities established, registered or located on the territory under their jurisdiction and/or control, to participate in the above-mentioned activities. ☝️ It is important to understand that without reliable guarantees on keeping outer space free of weapons, enshrined in an international legally binding instrument on PAROS, it is pointless to address issues related to the peaceful use of outer space and ensuring safety of outer space activities.

🎙 Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's opening remarks at the 8th World Congress of Compatriots 📍Moscow, October 30, 2024 💬 Sergey Lavrov: The situation on the international stage has not improved over the past three years since the previous congress held in October 2021. The US-led collective West has actually redoubled its systemic efforts at containing Russia, launching a full-scale hybrid war against our country with the aim of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on it. Washington and its NATO vassals are openly speaking about pushing Russia to the margins of global development. But all efforts by those who wish evil to Russia are in vain, and are doomed to fail. In fact, Russia has been carrying out the special military operation with great resolve and confidence in an effort to ensure its legitimate security interests and prevent Ukraine from turning into a hostile entity under NATO’s control. <...> Make no mistake, Russia will achieve all the goals of the special military operation as defined by President Vladimir Putin. We will secure and reliably ensure Russia’s security, and enable our citizens and compatriots to live in honour and dignity, to live where their forefathers used to live, and to speak their mother tongue, preserve their history and their spiritual and moral values. Attempts to isolate Russia on the international stage also failed miserably. The nations of the Global Majority refused to toe the Western line and opted for forging closer ties with Russia in various settings and sectors. The outcomes of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, held as part of Russia’s chairmanship, prove this point. The people of the Global South and East understand that a sovereign and assertive Russia presents a major force in terms of shaping a multipolar world order with greater justice for all in keeping with the principles of the UN Charter not in word, but in deed. Instead of handpicking these principles at its discretion, Russia adheres to all of them considering their interconnected and holistic nature. This world order will reflect the interests and aspirations of the entire humankind, rather than just a few countries belonging to the so-called Golden Billion. We do understand that the developments around the world have affected the way we operate. This is what President Vladimir Putin said in his message. The coordination councils for the organisations of compatriots and other associations of compatriots have come under serious pressure in unfriendly countries, including manifestations of a Russia-hating attitude, and other forms of discrimination, as well as attempts to cancel Russian culture and eliminate the Russian language from the public space and even from everyday life. There is also an effort to sow division within the global Orthodoxy. Faced with this unprecedented pressure, you have preserved your spiritual, cultural and linguistic bond with your historical Motherland, and have been contributing to reinforcing our international standing. The fact that this congress brought together so many high-profile participants demonstrates that all attempts to alienate the members of the Russian world from one another will fail, no matter who tries to achieve this goal. The theme of the Congress, Together with Russia, is more pertinent than ever. The current global situation necessitates additional exertion and synergy of efforts. <...> ❗️ The Russian government will continue to support your aspirations to benefit your historical Motherland, promote its economic growth and social progress, and strengthen its international role. There is no doubt that our joint efforts will help preserve and increase the creative potential of the Russian world as our legacy for future generations.

🎙 Comment by Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on the latest US attacks on Russian media 💬 On the night of October 29, a film crew of the Izvestia Multimedia Information Centre, which was sent to the United States to cover the upcoming presidential election, was detained in the Washington airport. Although the group had all the necessary permits issued in accordance with the declared goal of the visit, the local police confiscated their communications and other equipment and subjected them to hours-long examination. As the result of that “conversation,” cameraman Vladimir Borovikov was denied entry, his visa was cancelled for administrative reasons, and a decision was taken to deport him from the United States. Representatives of the Russian Embassy in the United States were denied permission to communicate with and provide assistance to that Russian citizen. The other crew members of the Russian broadcaster were allowed to enter the United States without any explanations or apologies and even granted accreditation, although with some restrictions, as media representatives. ❗️ We regard this as yet another violation of Washington’s commitments regarding free access to information and media pluralism. The fact that the Russian journalists had notified the American authorities about their intentions well in advance and received an official permission to proceed with their editorial mission shows that their detention was a clear demonstration of the US administration’s readiness to use repressive measures to prevent the circulation of undesirable information at any time. Such actions fit into the logic of the global US campaign against Russian media and journalists, which directly contradicts both the United States’ international obligations and Constitution. We will respond appropriately to this arbitrary US action.