BENAULIM, GOA: India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, to discuss bilateral relations and regional and global issues.
Both ministers praised the special and privileged strategic partnership between their countries. They also expressed a commitment to further strengthen coordination and develop common approaches within the framework of interaction at important international platforms such as the SCO, BRICS, the UN, and the G20.
Jaishankar and Lavrov reviewed the overall trajectory of bilateral engagement against the backdrop of the global geopolitical upheaval, people familiar with the matter said.
Dr Jaishankar and Lavrov agreed to continue building a fair multipolar system of interstate relations.
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Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry also condemned the drone attack on the Kremlin residence of President Vladimir Putin in the early hours of May 3. The attack came just days ahead of the Victory Day parade on May 9.
“The Investigative Committee of Russia opened a criminal case into the actions designed to intimidate and terrorise people and inflict damage and kill people as a means of influencing the decision-making process by government agencies,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated. The Russian government vowed to identify and punish those responsible for the attack.
“The Kiev regime’s criminal actions confirm yet again that Kiev does not want peace or to settle the conflict by political and diplomatic means,” the Russian Foreign ministry added.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also criticised Western countries for their support of the Ukrainian regime and their silence on this new criminal undertaking. They called on the international community and international organisations that seek guidance from international law to condemn the terrorist methods employed by the neo-Nazi extremist regime in Kiev.
“The Foreign Ministry reaffirms that Russia reserves the right to take countermeasures in response to these outrageous acts of terrorism. Russia’s response will hinge on the assessment of the threats posed by Kiev to the leadership of our country,” the ministry added.