Tag: Lavrov, Sergey V

At BRICS Summit, Putin Tries to Rally Support

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The five-nation BRICS summit is focused on whether to expand the club and how to be a counterweight to Western powers, but the meeting opened in Johannesburg on Tuesday in the shadow of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with President Vladimir V. Putin attempting to rally the members via video to Moscow’s side. In a speech to fellow leaders of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa group, Mr. Putin blamed the West for Russia’s exit from an agreement on Ukrainian grain exports that had helped stabilize global food supplies…

Blinken Meets China’s Top Diplomat in Latest Bid to Ease Tensions

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Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of a regional summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday, the latest in a string of diplomatic meetings between U.S. and Chinese officials as the two countries try to ease tensions. The talks between Mr. Blinken and Mr. Wang touched on regional and global issues, including “peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” said Matthew Miller, a spokesman for the State Department, who described the discussions as “candid and constructive.” “The meeting was part of…

South Africa and Russia Are Old Friends. A War Isn’t Going to Change That.

Chin@Strategy

JOHANNESBURG — While the United States and Europe have pressured countries to turn their backs on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, South Africa has bolstered its longtime alliance with Moscow — a friendship that dates to the struggle against apartheid. Russia and South Africa, along with China, are scheduled on Friday to start 11 days of joint military exercises off the east coast of South Africa that will include a Russian warship bearing the letters Z and V — Russia’s patriotic symbols for its war in Ukraine — and…