Lavrov Meets Xi, Blames West for Global Tensions Amid Ukraine, Iran Crises

"We held negotiations with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The negotiations covered a wide range of issues, largely our bilateral relations, but first of all, for obvious reasons, international issues, especially since the international situation, which is now being aggravated by the actions of our Western colleagues, in Ukraine, in Latin America, in the Strait of Hormuz, and in other parts of our shared Eurasian continent with China, is having a direct impact on how bilateral relations between states are developing, including, of course, between Russia and China, and with other partners within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, among others," he said.

During the same meeting, Lavrov said that relations between Russia and China serve as a stabilizer in global affairs and are growing in importance for the global majority, reported TASS.

"Russia-China relations act as a stabilizer in world affairs and are increasingly significant for the global majority seeking calm conditions for sustainable development rather than turbulence," Lavrov said.

Lavrov told journalists that Putin's visit to China will take place in the first half of this year. Xi Jinping, for his part, said Russia-China cooperation is especially valuable amid the changing international environment and stressed that he and Putin maintain dialogue "from a strategic height" and intend to continue it.

Lavrov had earlier held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on April 14. Their talks lasted more than four hours and covered a wide range of issues, including bilateral relations and international developments. Lavrov said that Wang and he reviewed the agreements between both nations in a way that protects them from those who do not compete fairly.

"In this regard, we reviewed how the agreements reached by President Putin and President Xi Jinping are being implemented, particularly in building trade, economic and investment cooperation in a way that protects it from the harmful influence of those who do not rely on their ability to compete fairly, but instead resort to sanctions, illegal methods of coercion, blackmail and diktat," he said.

Russia has publically positioned itself as being against the US-Israeli action in Iran and offered to play mediator, while Xi Jinping on Tuesday offered a four point peace formula to end tensions in West Asia.

- ANI