All posts tagged: Sergey Lavrov

Russia’s Lavrov tells Rubio Americans should leave Kyiv

Russia’s Lavrov tells Rubio Americans should leave Kyiv

Published by Sam Flores

TOPSHOT – Firefighters work to extinguish a fire at the site of a heavily damaged building following Russian strikes to the Ukrainian capital in Kyiv on May 24, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Vladyslav MUSIENKO / AFP via Getty Images) Vladyslav Musienko | Afp | Getty Images Russia said on Tuesday its government has warned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to evacuate diplomats and American citizens from Kyiv, as Moscow plots fresh strikes on the Ukrainian capital. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “officially informed” Washington that Russia would be launching “systematic and consistent strikes” against Ukrainian military facilities and what Moscow called “decision-making centers,” in a call with Rubio on Monday, according to the Russian government.   CNBC reached out to the U.S. and Ukrainian governments for comment. The call came after the Russian government issued a statement urging foreign citizens, diplomatic personnel, and international organizations to leave Kyiv, warning that it was preparing to target the capital, with a focus on facilities for designing, manufacturing, and programming drones. “The strikes …

Venice election turns into test of Meloni’s right-wing cultural revolution – POLITICO

Venice election turns into test of Meloni’s right-wing cultural revolution – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Promoted by sections of the right as the symbol of a new generation ready to challenge Italy’s progressive cultural establishment, Venezi instead became a lightning rod in a broader debate over whether the government’s cultural agenda relied too heavily on political symbolism. Andrea Martella, the center-left candidate for mayor and currently an MP for the Democratic Party, argued the controversies surrounding both La Fenice and the Biennale had damaged the city’s standing. “With both, there was a short circuit between Rome and Venice which ended up humiliating the institutions,” Martella said. “In a city like Venice, this carries enormous weight, because culture is not only part of the past but also the present and future of this extraordinary community: its identity, work, prestige and capacity to attract talent.” Simone Venturini, now the center-right’s candidate for mayor, talks to the press outside Santa Lucia train station in April 2024. | Marco Bertorello/AFP via Getty Images) While Venice has become symbolically important in national politics, the center-right’s candidate for mayor and current councilor for tourism, Simone Venturini, …

During Putin visit, Iran blames US for failed peace talks – POLITICO

During Putin visit, Iran blames US for failed peace talks – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

His comments came a day after he rushed back to Islamabad to join negotiations with the U.S., while a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire in the American-Israeli war with Tehran has been in place since April 8. The move also follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision over the weekend to cancel plans to send special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to the talks, writing on Truth Social: “They can call us anytime they want, but you’re not going to be making any more 18 hour flights to sit around talking about nothing.” Araghchi used his visit to Russia to stress his country’s links to Moscow. “We have always maintained close consultations with Russia and have held continuous bilateral discussions on a wide range of issues,” he wrote on his Telegram channel. Source link

Russia offers China energy lifeline as Iran war strangles supply

Russia offers China energy lifeline as Iran war strangles supply

Published by Sam Flores

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a reception, held on Victory Day marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two, at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, May 9, 2025. Mikhail Metzel | Via Reuters Russia has offered to help China with any potential energy shortfall, as the war in the Middle East heightens geopolitical divisions and threatens global commodity supplies. “Russia can certainly fill the resource gap that has arisen in China and other countries interested in working with us on an equal and mutually beneficial basis,” Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday, according to comments reported by Russian news agency Interfax. Russia’s top diplomat also commented on China and Russia’s ability to withstand the economic impact of “aggressive” U.S military operations against Iran, which have sent global oil and gas prices soaring. “Thank God, we and China have all the capabilities, both those already in use and those in reserve, and those planned, to avoid being dependent on this kind of …

Hungary’s Szijjártó admits he liaised with Moscow as EU discussed Russia sanctions – POLITICO

Hungary’s Szijjártó admits he liaised with Moscow as EU discussed Russia sanctions – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

But Szijjártó, who has been foreign minister in Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government since 2014, played down the accusations — and alleged that his phone was being tapped. He explained that he has regularly coordinated with several foreign ministers from non-EU countries “on sanctions-related matters.” “Nice work! They proved that I say the same publicly as I do on the phone,” he added about the investigative journalists, saying that it’s been “long” known that foreign intelligence services intercept his phone calls. “For four years we have been saying that the sanctions policy is a failure, causing more harm to the EU than to Russia,” Szijjártó said, adding that “Hungary will never agree to sanction individuals or companies that are important for our energy security or for achieving peace.” Hungary’s international spokesperson Zoltán Kóvacs told POLITICO on Monday that the foreign minister’s contacts with Russia’s Lavrov were common diplomatic practice, and that he did not exchange sensitive information. “He’s not talking about those elements, actually, that do not belong to the Russians; they talk about public …

Orbán’s spies were hunting me, says Hungarian journalist accused of espionage – POLITICO

Orbán’s spies were hunting me, says Hungarian journalist accused of espionage – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“That’s when they grabbed all the material they had on me, edited it, spun it around and published it as a sort of kompromat,” Panyi said, referring to a Russian term for compromising material. Szijjártó has acknowledged speaking with Russian counterparts before and after EU meetings, following reporting by The Washington Post that he gave Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reports on what was discussed, and the possible solutions proposed, during EU meetings. On Thursday, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás announced that the government had filed a criminal complaint against Panyi, accusing him of espionage and collusion with Ukrainian intelligence services. The complaint alleges he shared sensitive information about Szijjártó but does not disclose specific details or evidence. Prosecutors now have to decide whether to launch an investigation or not. The Hungarian Parliament and the Dunabe river in July 2021. | Gergely Besenyei/AFP via Getty Images Orbán and Szijjártó have maintained close relations with the Kremlin — including making multiple trips to meet top-level officials in Moscow — even after the EU …

EU cuts Hungary out of sensitive talks over leaking-to-Russia fears, diplomats say – POLITICO

EU cuts Hungary out of sensitive talks over leaking-to-Russia fears, diplomats say – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

In a report on Saturday the Washington Post said that Orbán’s government maintained close contacts with Moscow throughout the war in Ukraine, and Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó used breaks during meetings with other member countries to update his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Worries about Hungary sending information directly to Moscow were behind the rise of breakout formats with like-minded leaders, instead of holding meetings with all 27 EU members, said one of the European government officials, who, like others in this article, was granted anonymity to speak freely about sensitive matters. “Overall the less-than-loyal member states are the main reason why most of relevant European diplomacy is now happening in different smaller formats — E3, E4, E7, E8, Weimar, NB8, JEF, etc,” the official said.  The numerals refer to the number of European leaders in the group. The Weimar alliance comprises France, Germany and Poland. NB8 is the eight countries in the Nordics and Baltics. JEF is the Joint Expeditionary Force of 10 northern European nations. ‘Fake news’ Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, who …

Russia says it will stick to limits of expired nuclear treaty if US does | Nuclear Weapons News

Russia says it will stick to limits of expired nuclear treaty if US does | Nuclear Weapons News

Published by Sam Flores

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov did not say why he believed the US would respect the limits set out in New START. Listen to this article | 3 mins info Published On 11 Feb 202611 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Russia has said it will abide by limits on its nuclear weapons as set out in a lapsed arms control treaty with the United States, as long as Washington continues to do the same. The New START agreement expired earlier this month, leaving the world’s two biggest nuclear-armed powers with no binding constraints on their strategic arsenals for the first time in more than half a century and sparking fears of a new global arms race. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list In an address to parliament on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow was in no rush to start developing and deploying more weapons – backtracking on comments made by his ministry last week that said Russia considered itself no longer bound by the treaty’s terms. …

Russia accuses Ukraine of role in failed assassination of general in Moscow – POLITICO

Russia accuses Ukraine of role in failed assassination of general in Moscow – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Russian authorities on Sunday claimed that Ukrainian intelligence services were involved in the assassination attempt of General Vladimir Alekseev in Moscow on Friday. Russia’s Investigative Committee and its Federal Security Service (FSB) said in statements that they have identified and arrested in Dubai the alleged perpetrator of the assassination attempt and brought him to Moscow thanks to the help of the United Arab Emirates authorities. The Investigative Committee claimed that the suspect “arrived in Moscow in late December of last year on instructions from Ukrainian intelligence services to commit a terrorist attack,” without providing evidence to support the claim. On Friday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told Reuters that Ukraine had nothing to do with the assassination attempt, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had already accused Ukraine. Alekseev, who is the first deputy head of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, was shot several times and wounded in Moscow on Friday. Source link