Russia and Belarus Agree to Strengthen Foreign Policy Coordination
Minsk. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said relations between Russia and Belarus remain friendly, open and based on mutual trust.
Speaking at a joint news conference in Minsk on Monday after talks with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, Lavrov noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of integration processes between Russia and Belarus and their close allied cooperation in foreign policy.
He said the two countries share a common position and are moving forward with close coordination in foreign policy. According to Lavrov, Russia and Belarus remain committed to their allied obligations, and attempts to find differences between them or weaken their relationship will not succeed.
Lavrov said Moscow and Minsk would continue implementing agreements aimed at strengthening the Union State in all areas, including the socioeconomic and military-technical spheres.
He said special attention during the talks was given to foreign policy support for integration processes within the Union State and to strengthening its position on the international stage.
According to him, both sides positively assessed the implementation of the 2024–2026 Programme of Coordinated Foreign Policy Actions and this year’s plan for ministerial consultations.
Russia and Belarus agreed to deepen coordination within the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other regional and international mechanisms. Lavrov said coordination would also be strengthened within BRICS, where Belarus has partner-country status.
In the context of Russia’s chairmanship of the Collective Security Treaty Organization this year, the two sides also discussed in detail the outcomes of the recent CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting held in Kazan.
Speaking on the Ukraine crisis, Lavrov said Russia was closely watching the role of the United States. He referred to remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio before Congress, saying Washington had openly acknowledged that it was siding with Ukraine.
According to Lavrov, Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump discussed the Ukraine crisis, among other issues, during a telephone conversation. He said Trump had reaffirmed his interest in helping search for a fair and lasting solution to the crisis.
Lavrov said Russia still had questions regarding the American 28-point plan. However, he added that Moscow had been prepared to use it as a basis once the Alaska agreement entered into force.
He accused European countries of playing a negative role in the process. According to Lavrov, after the Alaska summit, European leaders increased their activity in Washington and tried to persuade the US administration to move away from the approach proposed by the American president and supported by the Russian president.
Lavrov said US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were expected to visit Russia again, expressing hope that Washington’s position on the prospects for implementing the Alaska agreement would become clearer.
He said the Ukraine issue should not disappear from the focus of the United States. Lavrov added that under President Trump, Washington had put forward several useful initiatives and said the matter should not be left solely to European countries.
Lavrov also claimed that Russia was fighting for people’s rights and human rights. He referred to Article 1 of the UN Charter, which calls for respect for the rights of all people regardless of race, sex, language or religion.
Following the talks, Lavrov said Russia was highly satisfied with the discussions with the Belarusian side and that both countries would maintain contacts.
