Lavrov's Government Hour at Duma, Remarks Plus Q&A

Time flies and another Duma Government Hour arrives that demands Lavrov’s participation. The Hour is much more than an Hour as many Duma members also speak, and Lavrov’s time took almost 2.5 hours itself. So, yes the read will be long and consist of many topics that don’t usually get seen here at the Gym. IMO, readers’s time will still be well spent as some critical issues are discussed in the Q&A. Emphasis is mine:

Dear Vyacheslav Viktorovich,

Dear members of the State Duma,

Colleagues

I am glad to have another opportunity to speak at the Government Hour.

It is important for the Russian Foreign Ministry, our staff and me personally to keep your finger on the pulse – to feel how Russian society lives, to feel the mood of the citizens you represent in the legislative body of our country.

The main direction of all work on the foreign policy circuit has been and remains the creation of favorable and safe conditions for the stable development of the country, strengthening sovereignty, and improving the quality of life of our people. This goal is enshrined in the Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation approved by President Vladimir Putin in March 2023.

The dialogue between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Assembly, its chambers, committees and commissions is regular, substantive and genuinely comradely. In December 2023, he once again spoke at the "government hour" in front of Russian senators. On January 31, I took part in a joint meeting of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, the Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Relations with Compatriots, and the Committee on Control. In fact, close feedback helps to increase the effectiveness of Russian diplomacy and the implementation of a unified foreign policy course determined by the President of the country.

The Foreign Ministry will continue to do everything possible to support the initiatives of Russian parliamentarians in the international arena. We will take part in the international inter-party forum of supporters of the fight against modern practices of neocolonialism, organised at the initiative of the United Russia All-Russian Political Party, which will be held on February 15-17 in Moscow.

As for the assessment of the general situation in the world. You know all our basic approaches. President of Russia Vladimir Putin spoke about this in great detail, most recently in an interview with Tucker Carlson. We see the escalation of tensions not at the initiative of the Russian Federation. The main reason is the stubborn reluctance of the "collective West" led by the United States to abandon its claims to global domination and its own exceptionalism, and its attempts to impose an unviable unipolar model of the world order on the international community.

Within the framework of short-sighted politics, the Western minority is actually waging a hybrid war against all those who determine their foreign and domestic policy on the basis of national interests and international law, and who are not ready to obediently integrate into the "rules-based order" invented by the West for the purposes of neo-colonial exploration of the world.

The choice made by President Vladimir Putin, with the support of the political class and the entire people, in favour of defending Russia's vital interests, has placed our country at the forefront of the struggle for a better future for the entire world. Washington and its allies do not abandon their dreams of inflicting a strategic defeat on us. However, lately, seeing the successful actions of the Russian army in the Ukrainian theater of operations, the West has been talking more about "preventing Vladimir Putin from winning" rather than about their own victory. The essence does not change.

In our work, we proceed from the premise that the security of Russia, including the residents of the new Russian regions, the life, honour, dignity, rights and interests of our citizens will be reliably ensured, and the goals of the special military operation will be achieved.

As President of Russia Vladimir Putin stressed in an interview with Tucker Carlson, we remain open to a political and diplomatic settlement based on our legitimate interests and the realities that have developed over many years and have led to the current situation. Given the lack of serious proposals from those who declared war on us, their unwillingness to take into account either our interests or the realities on the ground, it will not be possible to reach an agreement at the negotiating table. There are no such options.

The United States is showing the same destructive approach as in the Ukrainian issue in the Middle East. Long-term attempts to monopolize mediation efforts in the Middle East have led to the situation spiraling out of control (as we are witnessing now), a sharp escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip and a real threat of destabilisation of the entire strategically important region.

Unhealthy trends are also observed in the Asia-Pacific region, where Washington, with the help of its satellites, is trying to bring not only the logic of bloc confrontation, but also the infrastructure of the North Atlantic Alliance. By destabilizing region after region, the Americans are trying to "manage chaos," but they don't really know what they're doing. As President Vladimir Putin noted at the plenary session of the World Russian People's Council on November 28, 2023, "The dictatorship of one hegemon... decrepit. It's gone, as they say, and it's just a danger to others." Every day we see confirmation of these assessments.

We and our many partners abroad are convinced that the West's attempts to perpetuate its unilateral advantages in international affairs are doomed. For decades now, the key trend in world development has been the formation of a multipolar, more equitable world order, which is designed to ensure the realization of the natural right of peoples to determine their own destiny and choose development paths. This trend is reflected in the emergence and strengthening of new centers of power in Eurasia, the Pacific Ocean and the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. In practice, individual states and their associations demonstrate their independence in implementing the decisions taken. They advocate the democratization of international relations, so that the material and intellectual resources of our planet can be used by all of humanity, and not just the "golden billion" and its "top" in the West.

In the context of the growing mutual understanding with the countries of the Global East and South regarding the "image of the future," it seems natural that the plans of the Western minority to isolate Russia and create a "cordon sanitaire" around us have completely failed. The "spearheads" of anti-Russian initiatives themselves are forced to admit this. Although it is clear that they are far from exhausting the potential of hostility and will continue to increase pressure on us and our allies, using not only the Kiev regime, but also a wide arsenal of hybrid warfare tools – in the economy, finance, information space, culture and sports. We see this every day.

It is important for us to clearly understand the intentions of our ill-wishers and the challenges associated with them for the country. Based on the Foreign Policy Concept, we will continue to implement a sovereign foreign policy course that is proving its viability. First of all, with regard to the effective protection of national interests and the promotion of genuine mutually beneficial international cooperation in a variety of formats.

The hostile line of the "collective West" not only creates threats, but also opens up additional opportunities for our activity in various geographical areas, based on the importance of strengthening multifaceted ties with the near abroad, as well as the Global South and East. This is also the attitude of the majority states of the world, which express a sincere interest in building relations with us on the basis of equality, consideration and respect for each other's interests. And this is despite the incessant and sometimes overwhelming pressure of the United States and the European Union on our partners.

Our absolute priority is to further expand our multifaceted partnership with our closest neighbours in Eurasia. Russia's chairmanship of the CIS this year is focused on solving this problem. Among the top priorities is the launch of the International Russian Language Organisation, established under the auspices of the Commonwealth at the initiative of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

In 2023, under Russia's chairmanship of the EAEU, a serious impetus was given to regional integration, a common vision of economic processes in the Union until 2030 and for the future until 2045 was agreed. Recent successes include the signing of a full-fledged free trade agreement with Iran in December 2023.

Strategic alliance and integration within the framework of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, the 25th anniversary of which we will celebrate this year, continues to progress.

Together with our allies, we are strengthening the potential of the CSTO as a key regional defence structure responsible for ensuring the security of the organisation's member states and maintaining stability in Eurasia, and with the task of forming a new continental security architecture in Eurasia. This was the subject of an international conference convened in Minsk in October 2023 at the initiative of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. We intend to develop the concept of Eurasian security at various international venues this year.

Expanding ties with partners, friends and like-minded people in Greater Eurasia is also among our top priorities. The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China plays a crucial and stabilizing role in world affairs. Bilateral trade is growing at a record pace. This year, together with our Chinese friends, we will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, which are now at the best level in their history. They are based on an intensive and trust-based dialogue between our leaders, President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping.

A special and privileged strategic partnership with India is being promoted, which last year was supported by a significant increase in mutual trade, the systematic development of energy, military and military-technical cooperation, and contacts in the SCO and the G20, which India chaired in 2023.

Mutually beneficial ties with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa are entering new frontiers. With many of them, the development of political dialogue is accompanied by a serious expansion of trade, economic and investment ties. For our part, we intend to continue to contribute to the political and diplomatic settlement of numerous problems and conflicts in this strategically important region of the world.

Positive dynamics can also be observed in cooperation with ASEAN, Iran and Turkey. All of them are like-minded when it comes to the need to build international relations without dictates, threats and interference in internal affairs.

Together with our African friends, we are implementing the agreements reached at the second Russia-Africa summit in July 2023 in St Petersburg. In the second half of this year, it is planned to hold a ministerial conference of the Russia–Africa Partnership Forum with the participation of foreign ministers and heads of executive bodies of integration associations of the African continent. We are working to expand our diplomatic, economic and humanitarian presence in Africa, which is designed to become one of the important poles of the emerging multipolar world.

We are strengthening our multifaceted ties with states and multilateral organisations in the Latin American region. Inter-parliamentary contacts contribute to the common efforts. The results of the first Russia-Latin America International Parliamentary Conference held in Moscow in early October 2023 under the auspices of the State Duma deserve the highest praise. A similar forum dedicated to cooperation with African legislators was organized in the spring of 2023. Today, before the start of the meeting, we discussed further plans to promote international parliamentary cooperation.

We continue to work actively at the UN, including within the framework of the effective Group of Friends in Defence of its Charter. I would like to highlight the adoption at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly of Russia's traditional resolution on combating the glorification of Nazism and countering neo-Nazism. This topic is of particular relevance against the backdrop of events in Ukraine and other parts of Europe on the territory of NATO and EU countries.

We will continue to actively use the UN platform to draw the attention of the wider international community to the catastrophic consequences of the US-led "collective West" in international affairs, its disregard for the basic principles of international law, as well as the agreements that they themselves signed and then demonstratively refused to implement. Examples include UN resolutions on the creation of a Palestinian state, the Security Council's decision to resolve the situation around Iran's nuclear programme, and the Minsk agreements on Donbass, which were also approved by the UN Security Council and then trampled on by Kiev with the approval of its Western patrons.

We work in the G20, which remains an important mechanism for coordinating approaches to the economy and finance. Together with the states of the Global South, we will continue to thwart the attempts of the Western minority to turn the G20 into a tool for achieving its own selfish goals, including the "Ukrainization" of the unification's agenda. From this standpoint, we are preparing for the G20 foreign ministers' meeting, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro on February 22-23.

I would also like to mention Russia's presidency of the enlarged BRICS grouping, which began on January 1, 2024. It is held under the motto: "Strengthening multilateralism for equitable global development and security". Today, BRICS is one of the "backbones" of the emerging multipolar world. We are doing everything possible to further strengthen its position as a reliable and effective conductor of the interests of the world majority after the expansion. We are working on the establishment of a category of BRICS partners in pursuance of the instruction of the then leaders of the then BRICS Summit, agreed at last year's summit in Johannesburg (South Africa).

As part of Russia's chairmanship of the association, several major events will be held with the participation of parliamentarians, to whom we attach great importance, including the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, which will be held on July 11-12 in St Petersburg.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation operates on the same principles of equality, openness and non-targeting against anyone. The SCO is the core element of the Greater Eurasian Partnership. Let me remind you that the new version of the Foreign Policy Concept gives this initiative by President Vladimir Putin the status of Russia's flagship project in the medium term. Of great importance in its implementation is the implementation of agreements on the conjugation of integration processes in the EAEU with the development of the Chinese initiative "One Belt, One Road".

We pay great attention to unlocking the potential of cultural, public and people's diplomacy. The promotion of the positions of the Russian language is under special control. The International Russian Language Organization, which I have already mentioned, can be a good platform for this. We will continue to support the international Russophile Movement established in March 2023. On February 26-27, Moscow will host the second world congress of this informal association of people living on different continents who feel spiritual and cultural affinity with Russia and are drawn to our history, values and traditions.

Protecting the legitimate rights of Russian citizens abroad remains one of our absolute priorities. In 2023, we organized the evacuation of Russians from areas of existing and potential crises and conflicts. We must be ready for this work on an ongoing basis, given the unbalanced situation in the world, which is fraught with new crises.

Presidential elections will be held on March 15-17. They will take place against the backdrop of an unprecedented Russophobic campaign unleashed in the West. The Foreign Ministry and Russian missions abroad will do everything necessary to ensure that the voting abroad takes place at a high organisational level and that our citizens are able to exercise their constitutional rights. We are working closely with the Central Election Commission. Of course, we will provide assistance to delegations of international observers from friendly countries and international organisations who will come to our elections, including the territories that have been reunited with Russia.

Our positive agenda on the world stage will be organically complemented by a number of major international events in the humanitarian, cultural and sports fields. These include the World Youth Festival (Sochi, March 1-7), the Games of the Future and the BRICS Games, the Intervision International Song Contest, film festivals and much more. The Foreign Ministry will make every effort to ensure that foreign guests can feel Russian cordiality and hospitality, as it did in 2014 at the Sochi Olympics and in 2018, when Russia hosted the FIFA World Cup.

Dear Colleagues,

As President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated, including at the plenary session of the World Russian People's Council on November 28, 2023, "no strong and stable world order is possible without a sovereign and strong Russia." The Foreign Service will continue to contribute to strengthening state sovereignty, ensuring national security and creating the most favorable conditions for the country's development by political and diplomatic methods.

To this end, we are invariably open to cooperation with the State Duma and are ready to use all available formats of our dialogue. We hope for further reciprocity on the part of the State Duma, the political parties represented in it, and all Russian parliamentarians. We appreciate this cooperation, which in fact helps us to more effectively resolve the foreign policy tasks formulated by President Vladimir Putin through joint efforts.

Question: I would like to thank you and your team for the successful work together. By the decision of the CIS Council of Heads of State, 2025 was declared the year of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War against the Nazis. Our team has collected history textbooks from the CIS countries. In the course of the analysis, serious distortions in the description of the events of the Great Patriotic War were revealed. The President of Russia has repeatedly stated the need to create a single educational space in the CIS. This implies the writing of uniform textbooks on our common history, including during the Great Patriotic War. It is our duty to the Great Victory to prevent the falsification of political facts and to preserve the heritage that we have received at such a high price.

In this regard, what do you think about the proposal to create a joint commission of the Russian parliament and the Foreign Ministry to promote the idea of creating a single textbook on the history of the Great Patriotic War for the CIS countries?

Sergey Lavrov: We are now finalizing an action plan that will be approved by the Russian Government. They will be dedicated to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War in 2025. One of the central places there is occupied by the issues of preserving historical memory and defending this historical truth from the increasingly frequent attacks, which are becoming more and more aggressive.

The International Association (Commission) of Historians and Archivists of the CIS Member States has been established in the CIS, which is designed to streamline the coordination of issues related to our joint work. This is a step forward. In addition, within the framework of the Union State, there is a corresponding commission on historical issues. It has an expert council. They are already publishing materials and publications on this topical topic. Parliaments play a crucial role in promoting the state's approaches, issues of concern to voters in any country.

I see here a wide field for strengthening our cooperation on historical issues and protecting historical truth. I am referring to deepening, because this work is underway.

As for the creation of a joint commission, I am open to this kind of thing. The main thing is that the creation of the commission should not replace the substantive work. It is important for us to have close coordination. Let's think about this in the framework of regular contacts. This is certainly the most important topic. Our coordination in any form, be it commissions or in any other way of working, will be very important. I think this is the right thing to do.

Question: Do you think it is necessary to revive the practice of recruiting administrative and technical personnel to the embassies of unfriendly states through the Foreign Ministry's GlavUpDK? In Soviet times, all such employees in embassies were recruited through this structure. And we understood perfectly well who they were taking, how they were taking them, what kind of people they were. They also received their salaries through GlavUpDK. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union, unfriendly countries, especially the Anglo-Saxons and the British, began to hire people as gardeners, cooks and drivers who perform specific tasks, including communicating with our citizens on a confidential basis. It seems to me that the time has come to put these guys in their place and force them to accept people for such positions through our structures.

Sergey Lavrov: This is a relevant question. We have been dealing with this since the first weeks of the start of the special military operation, when the West began to expel hundreds of our employees, hoping to preserve their ability to continue working in Russia precisely at the expense of hired citizens on the spot.

A decision has long been made to abolish this practice. Now, citizens hired locally are counted in the general quotas when we restore or create parity in the number of our diplomatic missions. For some Western countries, the number of such local personnel was in the hundreds (300-400 people each). This practice has now been discontinued. Local staff are included in the general quotas. Those who were "fond of it" were forced to significantly reduce the number of such contracts.

But the decisions made so far do not prohibit the conclusion of contracts for labor services with legal entities. There are such people in the Russian Federation, and this also does not give us the opportunity to reciprocate and understand what kind of gardener or cook they are doing and what they are doing. This is a valid point. We proceed from the premise that it is necessary to deprive foreign representatives of the right to perform the functions of employers by law.

As you said, GlavUpDK is a natural and logical move. This will make it possible, firstly, to satisfy legitimate requests for the provision of labour services, and secondly, it will prevent any abuses like the ones you mentioned. We are not just promoting this process. Accordingly, we have already put the British Embassy in the Russian Federation and the British Consulate General in Yekaterinburg in the framework of the need not to "run" in the labor market on their own, but to negotiate with the GlavUpDK.

Question: It is proposed to organise the Eurasian Olympiad for schoolchildren in the Russian language, in which talented students from all CIS countries can take part. For the winners of the Olympiad, it is proposed to grant the right to enter specialized universities on a state-funded basis without entrance exams. As a result, the most talented students from the CIS countries will be able to receive higher education in the Russian Federation, and Russian applicants will be able to receive higher education in the CIS countries. The Eurasian Olympiad will become an effective tool for the formation of a single educational space in the Commonwealth. What do you think about such an initiative?

Sergey Lavrov: From the point of view of our interests, for which the Foreign Ministry is responsible, I fully support the promotion of these foreign policy approaches, the strengthening of friendship, cooperation and good-neighbourliness with our closest neighbours and friendly countries on all continents. That's a good idea. How can it be implemented in practice? Probably, other agencies should also play a role (the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education). The more opportunities for exchanges (especially at the youth level) with our counterparts in the international arena, the better. If you need our official support, we will arrange it.

Question: Today, a great deal of consolidated work is being done by state authorities, non-governmental organisations, public organisations, and foundations to disseminate the Russian language and promote a positive image of Russia abroad. Through Rossotrudnichestvo and the Ministry of Education, 69 open education centres in the Russian language have been established in 56 countries at the expense of grants. But there is no single legal framework that provides for their legal status.

Together with the authorised authorities in the field of education, will you support the idea of developing a unified concept for open education centres in the Russian language abroad as a tool for promoting the foreign policy of the Russian Federation? We propose to regulate this issue by law.

Sergey Lavrov: The Foreign Ministry, among other humanitarian duties, is the main executor and coordinator of the Russian Federation's comprehensive state programme Support and Promotion of the Russian Language Abroad. We are aware that there are a large number of tools available to solve this problem, including other programmes dedicated to the Russian language in the world, the work of such foundations as Russkiy Mir and the activities of Rossotrudnichestvo. As you rightly said, a lot is being done, but we want more. Moreover, there is an interest in the Russian language.

So far, I am not ready to react positively to the idea of creating a unified regulatory framework. Here's why: different countries, even within the CIS, have different legislation, on the basis of which it is possible to open Russian schools and teach Russian in general. In some places, it's simple, without any limitations. You can take the Russian curriculum and methodology, and this is welcome. In some cases, you have to fit into certain requirements of local legislation.

It seems to me that it will not be easy to make universal legislation. Now there is a practice when there is the Russian Centre for Science and Culture Abroad, other representative offices of Rossotrudnichestvo, schools that operate in accordance with intergovernmental agreements concluded by the respective countries, and Russkiy Mir centres at universities and other educational institutions of partner countries. In most cases, national specifics are reflected in the way these mechanisms are organized to promote the Russian language.

Probably, in order to give an unequivocal answer to your proposal, it is necessary to hold consultations with other agencies responsible for educational processes in terms of promoting these services abroad. If you have a specific vision formulated, we will be ready to discuss. You don't need to react "with your voice", but to see how you imagine it.

Question: Since last year, the Parliamentary Commission to investigate the Kiev regime's crimes against minors has been operating. We are increasingly documenting the involvement of children in extremist activities and the inculcation of a destructive ideology. Unfortunately, this misfortune is confirmed by fellow parliamentarians from other states. We discussed this issue with parliamentarians from Latin American countries. We see the terrorists of the Kiev regime stepping up their attacks on our children. Together with the Russian Foreign Ministry, we propose to present to the international community new mechanisms for protecting children and to create a corresponding working group to work out new international legal instruments to counter the involvement of children in extremist activities.

In conclusion, I would like to thank you and all my colleagues from the Foreign Ministry, Vasily Nebenzya, and all those who have been working with us throughout this time to investigate the Kiev regime's criminal actions against minors.

Sergey Lavrov: This is a very important issue. As you know, they are actively trying to exploit this issue unscrupulously and unscrupulously. Our ill-wishers forced the International Criminal Court to study this issue. We all know what machinations were used in this. We are actively responding together with our colleagues from the parliament and representatives from other federal agencies, including Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights Maria Lvova-Belova. We are engaged in "rebuffing" propaganda. There is Maxim Grigoriev, who generally promotes non-governmental formats at the Foreign Ministry on the problem of the Kiev regime's crimes. Roman Miroshnik is now the Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large on this issue. It is important to establish coordination, having so many mechanisms and formats at the level of the executive branch, taking into account the interest, readiness and, most importantly, the ability of the State Duma to make its contribution. How to do it? As for the creation of working groups, I don't see any major problems here. We will definitely consider it, if you also formulate how you see this mechanism, what added value it will have.

I know that parliamentarians, including those of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, have participated in the development of model legislation, including on the fight against extremism and terrorism. The same topic was the subject of legislation that was developed at the UN with the participation of our parliamentary experts, in cooperation with Qatar. We regularly explain to the UN Security Council the problems of children in the territory currently occupied by Ukraine, and those children who have been taken out of the war zone. In June of this year, the next hearing on the issue of rights in armed conflict and children will be held. There is a special representative office there, with which we are also working. I'm all for coordination. How to do it? Let's consult.

Question: Many African countries have begun to realise that the dollar zone and the IMF rules are neo-colonialism, thanks to which the golden billion is siphoning off the natural rents of resource-producing countries. Their "recipes" are carbon copies: the creation of a sovereign wealth fund, the artificial formation of debt (when revenues from extracted resources are sent to the West, and the national budget deficit is covered by loans), and the imposition of a tax system in the interests of transnational corporations. These countries are pinning their hopes on Russia. As they say, "Doctor, heal yourself." Unfortunately, we continue to follow many of these "recipes," which is holding back our efforts as a leader of a just economic world order. What is your position?

Sergey Lavrov: This topic is being actively discussed, including in political science formats and talk shows on our television, the Internet and social networks. It is necessary to understand the tasks that we set for ourselves.

As President of Russia Vladimir Putin said, the task is to ensure that we do not depend on discredited mechanisms that have been controlled by the West, led by the United States, for many years, in matters of a strategic nature, on which our security, socioeconomic development and well-being depend.

In an interview with Tucker Carlson, the President of the Russian Federation spoke in detail about his assessment of the United States' decision to turn the dollar into a real tool of its hybrid war against Russia, and how it has shaken the reputation of the United States as a reliable partner in the international economy and finance. As more and more countries are now thinking about whether it is necessary to link the fate of the development of their economic and financial systems with the US currency, which has turned directly into a weapon.

De-dollarization is in full swing. We are working on this on a bilateral basis. With the People's Republic of China, it is already about 90%. About 50% are with India. Trade with Iran and many other countries is similar. The process of transition to national currencies will continue, as will multilateral efforts to establish mechanisms at the regional and global levels that will allow for alternative forms of payment.

At the BRICS summit on August 22-24, 2023, the central banks and ministries of finance of the participating countries were instructed to prepare recommendations on alternative payment platforms for the next summit, which will be held in Kazan in October this year.

It is impossible to get rid of everything that has been built up over decades and that still has a strong impact, albeit to a lesser extent, on the world economy and finance. But it is imperative to move in this direction. Such a goal is proclaimed in our national positions, and within the framework of BRICS and other structures of the world majority.

Question: Yesterday, the State Duma discussed the prospect of suspending Russia's participation in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and paying entrance fees. This is due to the fact that, thanks to the efforts of Western countries, it has ceased to serve as a platform for rapprochement of positions and the development of their own solutions. This organization is used by EU and NATO parliamentarians in their own geopolitical interests.

The rules of procedure of the Assembly are qualitatively different from the rules of procedure of the OSCE itself, where decisions are taken by consensus. In Russia, there is an opportunity to block harmful initiatives and convey our position on a wide range of issues. What is the future of the OSCE's intergovernmental segment? Will the organization be able to withstand the growing confrontation with the West? On what platforms will we manage the confrontation? If we are resolute on these issues, what is the likelihood that the allies will follow suit, leaving the Westerners to stew in their own juice?

Sergey Lavrov: Today we discussed the issue of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly with Vladimir Volodin and his deputies. Of course, this is outrageous. First, they are trying to deprive our delegation of the right to vote. Previously, visas were refused when the Parliamentary Assembly met outside Vienna, which is the headquarters of the OSCE. Visas to Britain and other destinations were not issued either. The explanation of these actions by the national decision on sanctions is an empty phrase. If a State has volunteered to host a conference of an international organization in which a country participates, it is obliged to issue visas to everyone.

Secondly, you said that the OSCE is based on the principle of consensus. This is actually true. But the fact that it allows us to block decisions that are unfavorable to us is not true. By hook or by crook, the West promotes "extra-budgetary" projects that are not regulated. We are in favour of establishing order in this area, as well as in the activities of the OSCE/ODIHR. We have been fighting for this for many decades.

At a time when Russia, using the rule of consensus, blocks budget allocations for openly unilateral, anti-Russian or "unseemly" projects in our neighboring countries, the West, taking advantage of the lack of a legal framework, immediately finances extra-budgetary projects that have an openly confrontational connotation. There is no ceiling. Extrabudgetary projects may exceed the total of the OSCE's regular budgets. In this area, we will have to fight against the steps of the current chairmen, the secretary general and the heads of various mechanisms, who are obliged to speak publicly exclusively on the basis of the collective position of the member states. They are doing the exact opposite: they are unilaterally taking the position of the West.

As for the withdrawal from the OSCE. This issue has not yet been discussed, but it is hanging in the air. Whether our allies will follow us is another matter. Their position must be fully taken into account.

Question: My question concerns the Transnistrian-Moldovan region. This is a zone of geostrategic and geopolitical interests of the Russian Federation and other centers of the globe. The situation there is not easy. On the one hand, Romania (a NATO member), on the other, the Odessa region of Ukraine and the Transnistrian Moldavian Republic, unrecognized and blocked on all sides.

In the Republic of Moldova, "special" work with young people has been carried out for decades. Many have received higher education in Romania, have diplomas and even a second citizenship. Ideological and mental work is also being actively carried out, including with the participation of non-profit organizations. What are the future prospects for the development of Russian-Moldovan relations? How will events develop in connection with the presence of the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic in the region?

Sergey Lavrov: The current Moldovan leadership is not an independent mechanism. This is yet another geopolitical project of the "collective West" – the United States and the European Union. Maia Sandu and her cabinet, including the new Foreign Minister Mihail Popșoi, demonstrate their complete submission to the will of their "masters" on a daily basis. Western countries in their doctrinal documents called the Transnistrian region a "hostile pro-Russian enclave." They do not want to resume equal contacts with Tiraspol aimed at settlement. With regard to Gagauzia, they announced that there will be no subsidies from the state budget to the regions that oppose rapprochement with the European Union. Is this democracy?

The same thing began in 2013 with Ukraine, when President Viktor Yanukovych asked the European Union for more time to understand how the Association Agreement with the EU (if signed) would affect the free trade regime with the Russian Federation. The West refused: it forced Ukraine to choose between the EU and Russia. Now they are doing the same with Chisinau: they are putting forward ultimatums. Moldova obediently declares that Gagauzia will not receive money from the state budget if it tolerates politicians who oppose joining the European Union. That's democracy.

One of the victims of these actions was the political process of the pre-Dnestrovian settlement of the 5+2 group. There, Russia is the guarantor and mediator. This format has been frozen. The West does not want to convene it, realising that Maia Sandu will do whatever she is told, and it is possible to resolve the problem without the Russian Federation and without international universally recognised mechanisms in general. We will do everything we can to reverse this trend and resume the political process.

200,000 of our citizens live there [Transdniestria]. We are concerned about their fate and will not allow them to become victims of another Western adventure.

Question: Lake Baikal is a world symbol of Russia. After the State Duma adopted the law on clear cutting on Lake Baikal in the first reading, not only our oligarchs "revived". According to your deputy, Alexander Pankin, if this law is adopted, Mongolia is ready to withdraw from the intergovernmental agreement on the conservation of Lake Baikal and transfer the largest copper deposit, Oyu Tolgoi, for development to the Australian-British concern Rio Tinto. The operation of the plant will require a significant amount of water from the Selenga River, which feeds Lake Baikal. After use, the already polluted water of the Selenga River will fall back into the lake, causing significant environmental damage to it. Mongolia also plans to build a hydroelectric power plant with its harmful impact on the ecosystem of Lake Baikal. What is the Foreign Ministry's position on the expediency of adopting a federal law on clear-cutting on Lake Baikal?

Special thanks to Alexander Pankin for his state position.

Sergey Lavrov: Deputy Minister Alexander Pankin outlined the Foreign Ministry's position. We must also implement UNESCO's decisions on World Heritage and prevent actions that violate these decisions. I am the Chairman of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO. If this issue takes practical shape, we will be ready to deal with it within the framework of our competence.

Mongolia's energy problems have been around for a long time. The Mongolian People's Republic tried to build a hydroelectric power plant on the Selenga River or on its tributary. According to our estimates, this station will damage the nature and bioresources of Lake Baikal. We have negotiated (and continue to be) with the Mongolians about how we can help solve the energy scarcity problems of our neighbors in a different way, without harming the environment. So far, this process has not been completed. When we make decisions or put forward initiatives that are not burdened with environmental concerns, this gives arguments to those who are not very sad about the fact that a hydroelectric power plant may be built on the Selenga River and what consequences this will lead to.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not the leading agency on this issue, which requires intergovernmental approval. I hope that the State Duma will have an opportunity to clarify these problems with the head agencies.

Question: This year, the Russian Federation holds the BRICS chairmanship. We have many bilateral agreements with such member states of the organization as China, India, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates: from ensuring security to the implementation of specific economic projects. Russia has a visa-free regime with some countries, for example, with Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. An agreement has been signed with China and Iran on visa-free travel for tourist groups. A simplified visa regime has been achieved with Ethiopia.

In order to strengthen cooperation within BRICS, does the Russian Federation plan to study the issue of establishing common visa requirements, including a visa-free regime for citizens of the BRICS member states?

Sergey Lavrov: So far, there is no process aimed at the unified introduction of simplified visa regimes or the abolition of visa requirements. There is no such conversation. In each country, there are national specifics and interdepartmental processes that regulate these processes.

As a next step, we can use the experience of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, where there is a "map for business and official trips to the economies of the APEC member countries", which allows you to visit these countries repeatedly, almost without bureaucratic procedures. To begin with, it would be quite possible to introduce such cards into the BRICS.

Question: I am referring to the requests received from citizens that due to the reduction in the number of diplomatic staff and diplomatic missions abroad, especially in unfriendly countries, many Russian citizens who have been abroad for a long time face the problem of obtaining consular services. This applies to the paperwork required for children and other relatives living in Russia. What measures are planned to be taken to address this important issue? Will this require a change in legislation? We are ready to work with you to solve this problem.

Sergey Lavrov: Indeed, as a result of the hostile measures taken by the West to declare our diplomats and consular officers persona non grata, we have significantly reduced our physical ability to provide assistance to Russian citizens and provide consular services. Hundreds of diplomats were "expelled" from the host countries. Almost nowhere are we allowed to replace at least some of these diplomats. We reciprocate. That doesn't make it any easier. In some countries, such as Germany, almost all consulates general are closed. Only the Embassy in Berlin with the consular section and the Consulate General in Bonn remained.

With your help, we are already changing the legislation. Firstly, the amendments to the Law "On Citizenship of the Russian Federation", which came into force recently, make life easier for our citizens. Previously, a person permanently residing abroad could only apply to a diplomatic mission in the country of residence for questions relating to citizenship, but now it can be done in any country where we have more opportunities to provide consular services in terms of the availability of staff. Secondly, the legislators helped us to regulate the amendments to the Consular Statute of the Russian Federation. It was possible to empower unitary enterprises subordinate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to establish branches abroad in order to assist foreign missions in carrying out consular actions. Branches do not replace diplomatic and consular missions, but provide preliminary processing of documents, offer consular services and similar actions. This system is already being used in Turkey, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. There are plans to expand this form of service delivery. We always find a way out of the "schemes" promoted by the West to inflict a "strategic defeat" on us.

Question: Do you think the agreements on the legal regime of the Arctic with neighbouring states are erroneous? For example, the Treaty on Maritime Delimitation and Cooperation with Norway, which led to the loss of our continental shelf and its natural resources, or the agreement with the United States on maritime delimitation, signed by James Baker and Eduard Shevardnadze, but has not yet been ratified. According to it, we have also lost part of the continental shelf and natural resources. The new limits of the continental shelf are a vivid example of how Western countries do not want to reckon with us. Recently, the Americans, without coordinating with anyone, spitting on international norms, appropriated a significant part of the disputed shelf and introduced state protection there. We believe that such actions violate the national interests of our country. Isn't it time to consider denouncing the agreements in question?

Sergey Lavrov: We need to see the whole picture. First, each of these agreements was concluded under specific conditions. Whether we like it or not, these agreements remain in place. It has been ratified with Norway, and it is in full force with the Americans until ratification.

These issues have been discussed for a long time. They have been touched many times. There are a variety of assessments, including those based on the positive nature of the 2010 agreement with Norway, which made it possible to extend the Russian continental shelf beyond the 200-mile exclusive economic zone. In this part of the Arctic Ocean, we managed to defend our rights in the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. They were recognized by everyone, including Western countries.

The so-called Eduard Shevardnadze-James Baker line, in turn, also allowed us to challenge the materials we submitted to this Commission on the Shelf without any problems and without any attempts to challenge the materials we submitted to this Commission on the Shelf and to secure for us (and all the Arctic countries that are members of the Commission on the Shelf, including the United States, Norway and others agreed with this) a serious space in the eastern part of the Arctic Ocean. Despite the fact that Norway seems to be catching fewer fish (although this is far from certain, there are statistics that refute this) or that the Americans are catching more fish, it would be a little unwise to lose sight of the diplomatic and political struggle that is being waged for space from our northern borders all the way to the North Pole.

As for the American initiative. They announced it after the fact, informing everyone that their space would be like this. The initiative will not be supported by the UN Commission on the Continental Shelf. They have their own procedures that we followed. Thanks to this, patience and the scientific justification we have provided, there are currently no questions addressed to us about the application we have made.

Yes, at some stage it will be necessary to coordinate the application with neighboring countries, but this is a much smaller issue. The Americans do not have such an advantage.

Question: Since its inception, the BRICS organisation has been growing, strengthening and influencing the world order with its power. In your report, you noted Russia's role in the work of this association. Russia will take over the chairmanship of it in 2024, and what opportunities will it give us, and will it help us accelerate the creation of a single currency of the association?

Sergey Lavrov: I have already spoken about the single currency. At last year's summit, the heads of state instructed the ministries of finance and central banks to submit recommendations on alternative payment systems by the next summit in Kazan in October.

Brazil is the most active promoter of this issue. They even mentioned the possibility of introducing a single BRICS currency, which at this stage has hardly any prospects. The Brazilians also proposed a single currency for the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.

But I repeat, at this stage there is a consensus to consider recommendations on unified payment platforms. This process cannot be stopped. It is taking place in the context of developing mechanisms that will not depend on the whims and unilateral neo-colonial plans of our American colleagues. That's for sure.

As for BRICS. Of course, this is the most important integration of global coverage. The fact that the number of members has doubled since January 1 of this year, and the fact that about 30 countries also want to establish relations with the BRICS, speaks for itself. In many respects, the processes of forming a multipolar world, including due to the abuse of the role of the dollar by the Americans, are becoming not so much a part of globalization as regional processes. Sometimes it is said that globalization is becoming regionalized. Eurasia has the EAEU, the SCO, ASEAN and the CIS, Africa has the African Union, and Latin America has its own integration associations. Each of them is paying more and more attention to its opportunities for the development of economies and societies in the context of regional cooperation, relying less on global instruments that have been discredited and abused by the same Americans and their allies.

At the global level, these regional integration processes can and should be harmonized. BRICS is the best fit for this role. In terms of purchasing power parity, the current association is even further ahead of the Group of Seven. So we have conceptual and practical challenges ahead of us. It's a good stimulating challenge. We are working on this in an interdepartmental format under the leadership of the President and the Government.

Q: Unfortunately, the legislation for the protection of cultural heritage in the Global South is weak. An international group of "plunderers" takes advantage of this: after the illegal export of cultural property from Russia and China, they legalize it on the territory of third countries of the Eurasian continent, and then openly sell it at online auctions. At the same time, within the framework of the SCO, regular, but so far inconclusive meetings at the ministerial level are held on the problem of illegal trafficking in antiquities. Based on the experience of the Russian Federation and neighboring states, our specialists have prepared the main theses of an international treaty aimed at ensuring the preservation of the archaeological heritage common to the Eurasian peoples and suppressing its illegal trafficking.

Sergey Lavrov: I am against any theft. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as a state structure, is also against attempts to rob the people's property.

Apparently, ministers are engaged in this within the framework of the SCO, as you said, but clearly not foreign affairs. As far as I know, there is work to be done by the Interior Ministry and special services. They play a leading role. We will actively support everything that is aimed at curbing organised crime. As soon as the competent authorities reach an agreement on the merits, we will do our part, formalizing them as final international legal documents.

Question: My question is a follow-up to the topic of my colleague Konstantin Taysayev, who spoke about rewriting history, in particular, the history of World War II. We need to fight this, and, of course, with the help of "flexible power" – art and culture. It is known that a work of culture of high class, of a high artistic level, is able to penetrate through all prohibitions and get into the hearts of people, carrying its necessary meanings. There are many examples of this. Such arthouse films as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or Schindler's List have become world bestsellers. Perhaps the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will cooperate with the Ministry of Culture in order to identify a range of specific and priority topics.

Sergey Lavrov: We are actively working with the Ministry of Culture, the Department of Cinematography and the Cinema Fund. Our foreign missions make the most active use of film production at events for representatives of the host country where they work and for the diplomatic corps. These views are always popular. But most often they are organized on the territory of our foreign missions, where, for obvious reasons, there are not so many large halls. There are some in some places, but the vast majority of them are modest audiences. So far, in rare cases, it is possible to negotiate with colleagues from the host country to organize film screenings at their venues.

Two problems arise. In a number of cases, copyrights have been sold to foreign legal entities. And the second problem is the "titles". We don't have a centralized system for dubbing films and supplying them with "titles". Therefore, in all cases where little Russian is spoken in the host country, the embassies themselves, in some way, without having budget money for this, organize the production of "titles" on the basis of a personal agreement.

It would be possible to make some decisions that, firstly, would make it possible to solve the problem of ownership, at least in relation to films made with the use of budget funds commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and the Cinema Fund. It is necessary that the list of these films be approved and that they are not subject to possible attempts to make claims on the part of those who have the rights to distribute them.

And the second topic is centralized "titles". That's not a lot of money. We need to allocate funding for explanatory and information work to promote our culture and art. Production of "titles" – English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese. That would be very relevant.

Question: The issue I would like to raise today is particularly relevant among our deputies. Indeed, in accordance with President Vladimir Putin's executive order, preparations for the 80th anniversary of Victory have begun. An Organizing Committee has been set up, and the government is now developing an action plan. Russia has many like-minded people abroad, including representatives of non-governmental organisations, who honour the memory of the Great Victory and are grateful to our country for saving the world from Nazism and genocide. It is important for us to support such non-governmental organizations.

What work is the Ministry currently doing to hold events to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in foreign countries, taking into account the geopolitical situation? Will there be any additional programmes to support non-governmental organisations that are ready to help with the anniversary events?

Sergey Lavrov: The point is not whether there is a programme or not, but how contacts with non-governmental organisations abroad are carried out in practice, what legal, moral, political and logistical support is needed in the current conditions.

Each of our Embassys and Consulates General has a circle of active representatives of our diaspora. First of all, these are the people who form the composition of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots. In every country where there are at least a few dozen citizens, such councils are created. They are organized into regional coordinating councils. There is the World Council of Compatriots. These are traditional events.

Not because there will be an anniversary soon. Every year, on the occasion of Victory Day, film screenings are held, photo exhibitions, concerts, tours of our collectives (where such agreements are reached), round tables, conferences. All this arsenal is actively used depending on the specifics of a particular country. The Immortal Regiment and other public initiatives that were actively supported by the Russian diaspora. We are in regular contact with them.

This is the topic on which ambassadors send their assessments, considerations and proposals. In the current conditions, our compatriots are subjected to aggressive persecution, threats, ultimatums, and blackmail. In a number of cases, host countries have taken harsh police measures to restrict their work.

But I have no doubt, just like last year, when such "influences" on our colleagues were already felt, we will still provide them with support, and they will not abandon their initiatives. Yes, the number of participants may decrease, but this will not change the essence of the events that will be held.

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I would like to thank you for this regular meeting. It was helpful. It is indicative that almost all the questions were devoted to concrete, practical projects of our foreign policy or to some specific problem related to international relations. I did not hear any nuances on the strategic direction of our foreign policy either in the speeches or in the questions. Almost all of them emphasised their approval of the policy set by the President of Russia.

I would like to note the initiative of Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Alexander Babakov to create a manifesto. He mentioned China's concept of a "Community with a Shared Future for Mankind" as an example. China has many concepts, including global security and joint development, not to mention the Belt and Road Initiative.

We agree that our conceptual approaches, which are based on respect for all countries, are advantageous. We will develop them. The Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation itself is quite an innovative document. Vladimir Nikonov spoke about this today. I don't think I'll reveal a big secret, but on the basis of this Concept, we are now working on a document that will be dedicated to our vision of multipolarity. It is necessary to find the right balance between the conceptual detailing of our approaches and at the same time not to "drown" in these details. It should be a broad political document.

There is no need to invent a "bicycle" or any other means of transportation. There is the UN Charter. We insist that all its provisions and articles be respected and implemented in their entirety and interrelatedness.

So that when it is necessary to recognize Kosovo, the West says that this is the right to self-determination of peoples. When it is necessary to categorically oppose the expression of the will of the Crimeans, there is no principle of territorial integrity.

In 1970, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, which is devoted to the interpretation of the Charter, which states that everyone is obliged to respect the territorial integrity of states whose governments represent all the people living in a given territory. After the coup d'état in February 2014, did this junta represent the interests of Crimeans and southeastern Ukraine? Of course not.

Our approach, with full respect for all provisions of the UN Charter, cannot be challenged. We place special emphasis on the provision of the Charter, which explicitly states that the United Nations is based on sovereign equality.

Take any conflict that has taken place in the world since 1945, when the United Nations was created, and look at the position of the United States and its allies. In no conflict has the West's position been based on respect for the principle of the sovereign equality of states. This principle is also applicable to what Mr Nikonov has just said about the civilisational approach. There are civilizations that will be tens and hundreds of times older than those whose states have been "calling the shots" for 500 years. There are millennia there.

The principle of respect for sovereign equality will fully reflect the aspirations, aspirations and ambitions of these ancient civilizations, which are now experiencing a renaissance. We will work on it. We will keep the relevant State Duma committees informed, consult and exchange assessments.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Interesting there remains clamoring for a BRICS+ currency when it ought to be clear that the messaging and transmittal networks need to be erected and made operational first. That Russia needs to produce a Manifesto similar to China’s is correct, but Lavrov failed to mention the two major Joint Declarations made by Russia/China that act in that manner. As noted for several months, Moldova is presenting ever more of a problem. Last week two Security Council sessions were held, the public content of both being very limited. It may seem as if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quiet over the past week but that’s not the case at all with lots of activity on the Palestine conflict occurring. And Maria has continued to give briefings; I just haven’t found the time to include them within all of Putin’s and other events.

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