Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov praised India for following an independent foreign policy and taking steps to strengthen India-Russia ties during his visit to New Delhi. Lavrov held a meeting with his counterpart Union minister S Jaishankar following which he addressed a press conference.
During the press conference, without naming the US, Lavrov said that some countries are pressuring India and China to take sides. He was confident that no amount of pressure will strain ties between India and Russia. “I believe that Indian foreign policies are characterized by independence and the concentration on real national legitimate interests. The same policy is based in the Russian Federation and this makes us, as big countries, good friends and loyal partners,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by the news agency ANI.
Lavrov ahead of the meeting also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin sends his personal regards to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and he is looking forward to extending the same to the prime minister personally.
Speaking on the ongoing war in Ukraine, Lavrov stood by Russia’s position and referred to the situation as an ‘ongoing military operation’. He said that the aim of the mission was to ensure that Kyiv does not pose a threat to the safety of the Russian federation. “You called it a war which is not true. It is a special operation, military infrastructure is being targeted. The aim is to deprive the Kyiv regime from building the capacity to present any threat to Russia,” Lavrov said.
It is worth mentioning that Russia and Ukraine will soon start another round of discussions to find means to end the hostilities.
Ruble-Rupee Payment and Sanctions
Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov further said that Russia would cater to India’s demands and look forward to meeting its needs if there is necessity with regard to crude and other items that India imports from Russia. “With regard to oil supplies and supplies of high-technology, If India wants to buy anything from us, ready to discuss and reach mutually acceptable forms of cooperation,” Lavrov said. Lavrov also said that the ruble-rupee payment options for trade are being discussed between both nations.
Read the Latest News and Breaking News here
Comments
0 comment