Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a series of bilateral meetings in New York as part of the high-level week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. In the last few hours, he held talks with the foreign ministers of India, Kazakhstan, and Iran, with bilateral relations, the war in Ukraine, and crises in the Middle East on the agenda.
On September 25, Lavrov met with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the two discussed key issues of Russian-Indian cooperation, the schedule of upcoming contacts, the Ukrainian conflict, and the situation in the Middle East. They confirmed their intention to continue coordination between Moscow and New Delhi at the UN, G20 and BRICS.
The meeting began with a brief exchange in front of journalists, after which the conversation continued behind closed doors. “We haven't seen each other for a long time“, Lavrov told Araghchi at the beginning of their separate meeting, held in New York on the night of September 25.
Talks on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz
The talks between Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the latest developments around Iran, tensions in the Middle East and Russian-Iranian bilateral agreements. The Iranian Foreign Ministry reported that the two also exchanged views on the negotiations on the Strait of Hormuz, as well as on the settlement of the conflict between Iran and the United States. The Russian side has emphasized that a diplomatic solution remains the only way to overcome the crisis.
Focus on relations with Kazakhstan
On September 25, Lavrov also spoke with Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi. The meeting was devoted to the state and prospects for Kazakh-Russian cooperation, the implementation of agreements reached at a high level, and current regional and international issues. The two sides confirmed their interest in further strengthening the relations of strategic partnership and alliance.
During his visit to New York, Lavrov also met with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi, the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, and the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan. The Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant and the Iranian nuclear program were discussed with Grossi, and regional and bilateral issues with representatives of Serbia and the UAE.
Earlier, on September 23, Lavrov also spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. On September 26, the Russian Foreign Minister is to present Moscow's position in the general debate of the forum.
Sources: Interfax, RBC, Anadolu Agency