Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Manama, Bahrain, to participate in the ninth joint ministerial session of the strategic dialogue between Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The meeting will be held on October 18.
At the airport, Lavrov was met by Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdellatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Jassem Mohammed al-Budaiwi, and Russian Ambassador to the country Alexei Skosirev. This was reported by the Bahraini newspaper “Al Ayam“, and the arrival was also confirmed by the Anadolu Agency.
Regional security is among the main topics
The meeting will be attended by the foreign ministers of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman. They are expected to discuss international and regional issues, including the situation in the Persian Gulf region.
“The ministers will exchange views on a wide range of issues on the international and regional agenda, including the situation in the Persian Gulf region,“ said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, quoted by “Interfax“.
The agenda also includes the prospects for the development of trade and economic relations, as well as cultural and humanitarian ties between Russia and the countries of the Cooperation Council. During the visit, Lavrov will also hold bilateral meetings.
The dialogue has been held since 2011.
The 168th meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Cooperation Council will be held in parallel with the strategic dialogue in Manama. According to the organization's Secretary General, Jassem al-Budaiwi, the two meetings are part of efforts to develop partnerships with various countries and regional groups.
The memorandum on strategic dialogue between Russia and the Cooperation Council was signed in November 2011. The previous round of talks at the level of foreign ministers took place in Sochi in September 2025.
Sources: interfax.ru, aa.com.tr, alayam.com