Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
According to Ahmed Abu Zeid, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shoukry expressed Egypt’s desire to reach a political solution for the Ukrainian crisis, and the need to mobilize international efforts to address its humanitarian, political, and economic impacts on the region and Egypt.
The two ministers also discussed the latest developments on various regional and international issues, including the Palestinian situation amid the Israeli attacks on Gaza, the Yemeni crisis and its threat to maritime security, the ongoing turmoil in Sudan, the Libyan conflict, and the Syrian war.
Lavrov praised the longstanding partnership and cooperation between Cairo and Moscow and emphasized the importance of maintaining high-level consultations to serve the mutual interests of the two nations and to contribute to resolving crises and promoting stability in the region.
On the other hand, Shoukry confirmed that Egypt will continue its contacts and efforts with the relevant parties to stop the war in the Gaza Strip. He also stressed the urgency of activating the international mechanism to facilitate, monitor, and coordinate the delivery of aid to Gaza.
Shoukry also met with his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, at the start of his visit to Rio de Janeiro, where he participated in the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting upon the invitation of the Brazilian presidency of the group.
Shoukry expressed Egypt’s pride in its long-standing diplomatic relations with Brazil, which is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year. He also expressed Egypt’s aspiration to build on the outcomes of the visit of Brazilian President Lula da Silva to Egypt earlier this month, which resulted in elevating the relations to a “strategic partnership” level, reflecting the growing ties between the two countries.
Shoukry stressed the need to enhance economic and trade relations between the two countries, and to increase the trade volume shortly to benefit from the free trade agreement between Egypt and Mercosur, especially as Brazil is Egypt’s top trading partner in Latin America.
Shoukry also expressed his gratitude to Brazil for assuming the presidency of the G20 this year, and for inviting Egypt to participate as a guest in the group’s activities. He also thanked Brazil for supporting Egypt’s bid to join the BRICS group.
The meeting also addressed the developments in Gaza, where Shoukry commended the Brazilian stance in favor of the Palestinian cause.
The two sides also discussed the Security Council’s inability to pass a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday.
Shoukry urged the international community to fulfill its moral and legal obligations to end this humanitarian crisis, and to avoid selective and biased approaches that undermine the credibility of the Security Council.
