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Lavrov in China: Russia, China to Discuss Ukraine, Middle East Tensions

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in China for a two-day official visit to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. The discussions will focus on deepening bilateral cooperation and coordinating positions within international forums like the UN and BRICS. A key agenda item is a detailed exchange on the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The visit occurs amid heightened tensions following a US announcement to enforce a maritime blockade near Iranian ports.

Key Points: Russia's Lavrov Visits China for Talks on Ukraine, Middle East

  • Lavrov's two-day China visit
  • Bilateral & multilateral cooperation
  • Focus on Ukraine & Middle East crises
  • US blockade of Strait of Hormuz
  • High-level diplomatic coordination
2 min read

Russian FM Lavrov arrives in China for two-day visit amid West Asia conflict

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov meets China's Wang Yi to discuss bilateral ties, Ukraine war, and Middle East crisis amid US maritime blockade threats.

"A detailed exchange of views is expected on a number of hot topics and regional issues, including the Ukrainian crisis and the situation in the Middle East. - Russian Foreign Ministry"

Beijing, April 14

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in China on Tuesday for a two-day official visit to discuss the bilateral cooperation across key sectors, as well as the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia.

Earlier on Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that during his visit to China from April 14-15, the Foreign Minister will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

"The two countries' foreign ministers will discuss a wide range of bilateral cooperation issues, prospects for contacts at various levels, and international collaboration, with a focus on joint work within the UN, BRICS, SCO, G20, APEC, and other multilateral mechanisms and forums. A detailed exchange of views is expected on a number of hot topics and regional issues, including the Ukrainian crisis and the situation in the Middle East," it added.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing that during this visit, the foreign ministers of the two countries will exchange views and coordinate positions on the development of bilateral ties, cooperation in various fields, and international and regional issues of mutual concern, according to Xinhua news agency.

This also came as Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday admitted that the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is likely to impact international markets negatively.

"Most likely, such actions will continue to negatively impact international markets; this can be assumed with a high degree of certainty," the Kremlin spokesman was quoted as saying by Russia's leading Tass news agency during a regular media briefing in Moscow.

Responding to another question, he asserted that details on the US blocking of the Strait of Hormuz remain unclear.

"Many details here remain unclear and incomprehensible, so I would refrain from any substantive comments at this time," Peskov commented on the US threat of blocking the strait.

On Sunday, the United States made it clear that it will begin enforcing a sweeping maritime blockade of vessels entering or exiting Iranian ports from April 13, escalating tensions after high-stakes talks between Washington and Tehran failed to yield agreement on key issues, including Iran's nuclear programme.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priyanka N
The US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is a very worrying development. 🇮🇳 So much of our oil imports pass through there. Any disruption will send fuel prices soaring here. Our government should be in active diplomatic talks to ensure energy security for India. Hope our External Affairs Ministry is on top of this.
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Rahul R
While understanding the geopolitical complexities, I respectfully feel our media sometimes gives disproportionate coverage to meetings between other nations. We should focus more on India's own diplomatic achievements and strategic dialogues, like with the Quad or our European partners. Our voice matters too.
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Sarah B
Interesting to see BRICS and SCO being mentioned as key forums. India is a major player in both. This meeting highlights why India's multi-alignment strategy is so smart. We can engage with all sides – Russia for defence, the West for tech, and neighbours for trade – without being tied to one bloc.
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Aman W
The Ukraine and West Asia conflicts are causing enough global instability. The last thing we need is a new flashpoint in the Strait of Hormuz. Hope diplomacy prevails. For India, peace and open sea lanes are absolutely essential. Jai Hind!
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Kavya N
China and Russia discussing "international collaboration" always makes me a bit uneasy, given their stance on issues like UNSC expansion. India's permanent seat bid needs strong global backing. We must ensure our friendships are diverse and not dependent on any one partnership.

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