The Arab countries, despite unprecedented pressure from the West, have a balanced position on the situation around Ukraine. This was stated in an address by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to the participants and organizers of the XII Middle East Conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club. The text of the address was read out on Tuesday by Russian Presidential Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.
"We are pleased to note that despite unprecedented pressure from the collective West led by the United States, our Arab friends are taking a balanced position on the situation in and around Ukraine, guided primarily by their fundamental national interests," the minister said in the address.
As Lavrov noted, the development of relations with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa is a priority for Russia's foreign policy. "Strengthening a trustful dialogue and diverse mutually beneficial cooperation with each of the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, as well as multilateral associations functioning in the Middle East space are among the unconditional strategic priorities of Russia's foreign policy," added the head of the Russian foreign ministry.
"Russian diplomacy will continue to work to make the Middle East a zone of security, stability and prosperity. We will continue to help overcome crisis situations and take part in the post-conflict rehabilitation of the affected countries," Lavrov summarized.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS