EAM Jaishankar to visit Russia from December 25-29, meet Russian Dy PM Manturov Foreign Minister Lavrov

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to travel to Russia from December 25 to December 29. During his visit, he will meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov.

During the meeting, EAM Jaishankar and Russian Deputy PM and Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov will meet to discuss matters related to economic engagement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in the press release.

It further said, "EAM will meet his counterpart, the Foreign Minister of Russia H.ESergey Lavrov for discussion on bilateral, multilateral and international issues."

Jaishankar's visit to Russia will include engagements in Moscow and St Petersburg. In the press release, MEA noted that the ties between India and Russia have remained "stable and resilient."

In the press release, MEA stated, "Focusing on the strong people-to-people and cultural ties between our two countries, EAM's programme will include engagements in Moscow and in St Petersburg."

"The time-tested India-Russia partnership has remained stable and resilient and continues to be characterised by the spirit of the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership," it added.

Earlier in September, EAM S Jaishankar said India-Russia ties might not be spectacular but are very "exceptional and steady," adding that in many ways Moscow's relationship with the West has "broken down."

Speaking at Hudson University, Jaishankar compared Russia's ties with India to those with other countries, adding that they have been very steady."If you consider international relations over the last 70 years, the US-Russian relations, the China-Russia relations, the US-China relations--pretty much every big relationship in the last 70 years has seen a great deal of volatility; you had sharp ups and downs," Jaishankar said, adding, "India-Russia relations are very exceptional. It's been very steady."

Noting that India-Russia relations may "not be spectacular," Jaishankar said they have stabilised at a certain level but have not seen the ups and downs that Moscow's relationships with China, the US, or Europe have been through. He added, "And that's in itself a statement."

"Now, if one looks at Russia today...as a consequence of what is going on in Ukraine...it seems to them clear that in many ways Russia's relationship with the West has broken down," he said.

On why Russia's emphasis on India is increasing, Jaishankar said, "India will and has come into calculations as well. So I would predict a Russia that would consciously focus on the non-Western world away from Europe and away from the United States, look much more at Asia, and possibly look at other regions as well. But Asia is economically the most active. So I guess that's what you're going to see."