Lavrov and Xi Jinping held a meeting in Beijing. The main thing

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a joint meeting at the People's Assembly House in Beijing. Read about the key statements at the summit in the Izvestia article.

Relations between Russia and China

During the meeting, Lavrov noted that Russian-Chinese relations contribute to the stabilization of world politics. He stressed that relations between Russia and China demonstrate resilience to a multitude of foreign policy shocks.

"Relations between Russia and China play the role of a stabilizer in world affairs. They are becoming more and more important for the rest of the world, for the global majority, who do not want problems or turbulence, but calm conditions for sustainable development," the diplomat noted.

Separately, he announced the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to China. He noted that in January of this year, the leaders of both countries launched the 14th cross-year of education.

As Lavrov noted, interstate relations between Russia and China are unshakeable and solid. The relations between the two countries can be considered an example of respect for "the ideals of justice, equality, and non-interference in each other's internal affairs."

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Moscow will prepare proposals to Beijing in the second quarter of this year.

Xi Jinping, in turn, pointed out the relevance and value of cooperation between Russia and China.

"In a changing international environment, cooperation between Russia and China is more valuable than ever," said the Chinese president.

Commenting on the relations between the two countries, Lavrov noted that Moscow and Beijing have all the capabilities that make it possible not to depend on what is currently happening in the Middle East, as well as on other similar "aggressive adventures." He noted that such conflicts negatively affect the global economy and energy sector.

"Thank God, we have all the possibilities with the People's Republic of China, and both reserve capacities and planned opportunities have already been deployed in order not to depend on such aggressive adventures," the minister stressed.

The position of the Russian Federation and China on the military conflict in the Middle East

Speaking about the situation around Iran, Lavrov said that it would not be easy to untie the "crisis knot" in the Middle East, while attempts to "cut through" it would not bring results. The diplomat also noted that against the background of events in the Persian Gulf, Palestine and the West Bank of the Jordan River should not "remain in the shadows" and be pushed into the background.

Commenting on the fighting in the Middle East region, the head of the foreign Ministry said that he did not understand the plan for the "destruction" of Iran by some states.

"This unshakeable conviction that Iran must be destroyed — how can you believe it, I do not know," Lavrov commented.

The diplomat noted that the United States planned the same actions against Iran as against Venezuela with control over its oil reserves. Answering a question from Izvestia correspondent Viktor Sineok, the diplomat pointed out that initially the pretext for aggressive actions against the country and its president Nicolas Maduro was problems related to drug trafficking. At the same time, after the military operation and the appropriation of Venezuelan oil reserves, "no one remembers about drugs anymore."

"They planned the same thing for Iran. Trump has said more than once that he is ready to take Iranian oil or at least agree to manage Iranian oil together with Iran," Lavrov drew parallels.

Speaking about the situation with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Lavrov said that Iran would not have blocked the sea route and attacked Middle Eastern states if the United States and Israel had not shown aggression against the Islamic Republic, and the Gulf states understand this.

The common position of China and Russia on the Middle East crisis is to insist on continuing negotiations between the United States and Iran in Pakistan, Lavrov said.

"China and I firmly advocate that these negotiations continue, so that the parties promote realistic and fair goals, taking full account of the legitimate rights of each side in accordance with international laws," he said.

At the same time, Russia hopes that the United States will be realistic in negotiations to resolve the conflict in the Middle East.

"I really hope that those who are directly involved in the negotiations, the American side in this case, will be realistic and will take into account the interests of the entire region and will not continue the unprovoked aggression, which is suffering first and foremost, let's call a spade a spade, the allies of the United States, I mean the Arab The monarchies of the Persian Gulf, our good friends," Lavrov said.

The resource potential of the Russian Federation in the context of the global energy crisis

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Against the background of the Middle East conflict, the market is facing a shortage of resources, which will affect the production and prices of electronics.

During his speech, Lavrov recalled that if China or other countries lack resources due to the Middle East conflict, Russia is ready to help fill them.

"Russia can certainly make up for the lack of resources that has arisen in the People's Republic of China and other countries that are interested in working with us on an equal and mutually beneficial basis," he stressed.

The minister also noted that Russia is ready to influence the solution of the problem of enriched uranium from Iran. He added that the resolution of the issue should satisfy the interests of the Islamic Republic. He stressed that Iran has an inalienable right to enrich uranium.

Responding to a question from Izvestia correspondent Viktor Sineok about the implementation of the Power of Siberia —2 gas pipeline project and energy cooperation with China, the Russian Foreign Minister said that the European Union (EU), by rejecting energy resources from Russia, risks falling on an "aspen stake" of energy dependence on another country.

"They (European officials. They understand that if Europe gets off the Russian oil and gas needle now, it can automatically fall on the "aspen stake" of another great power's energy sector, [which] is actively sharpening it," the diplomat noted.

Russia's position on relations with the United States, the EU and Ukraine

During the press conference, the diplomat recalled that the administration of US President Donald Trump maintains and expands sanctions against Russia. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Minister noted that Russia and China have every opportunity not to depend on the aggressive adventures of the United States and its allies, which undermine the global economy and energy.

At the same time, relations between Moscow and Washington are not currently frozen, as during the presidency of former American leader Joe Biden.

At the same time, he stressed that Russia is still ready for negotiations over Ukraine. However, he drew attention to the fact that Washington intends to create a new military bloc together with Kiev as a leading participant. According to him, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky strongly supports this idea.

"[Former special envoy of the US President for Ukraine Keith] Kellogg, being also not a stranger in Washington, he promotes, together with the European grandees, as they are called, the idea of creating a new military bloc with Ukraine as a member, and even not only a member, as its leading participant," Lavrov stressed.

The minister, speaking about the US threats against Cuba, stated his unwillingness to guess about the consequences of such attacks. He also pointed to Russia's full support for Cuba and noted the determination of Cubans to defend their freedom to the end, using all the methods at their disposal.

Lavrov also mentioned the issue of accelerated militarization of the EU as a separate problem. The diplomat noted that European elites do not hide the fact that they see this process as the meaning of their existence.

"Moscow warns of the danger of the militarization of the EU, but the main thing in what is happening is not that we are warning, but that militarization is proceeding very quickly and violently," he said.

Lavrov, speaking about the situation in Europe, also pointed to the EU's attempts to turn Serbia into an anti-Russian buffer zone.

He noted that Serbia was given two conditions for joining the EU: recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed Kosovo, as well as joining all European sanctions against Russia.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.