On Sunday, he first held talks with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, then his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shukry. Lavrov was later to fulfill with Arab League Secretary Basic Ahmed Aboul Gheit and in addition handle the pan-Arab group, RT reported.
In a joint information convention with Shukry, Lavrov mentioned he mentioned Russia’s “army operation” in Ukraine with Egyptian officers who urged for “a political and diplomatic” settlement to the battle.
Lavrov laid the blame on Ukraine for the rupture of earlier peace talks.
“We wouldn’t have any prejudices about resuming negotiations on a wider vary of points, however the matter doesn’t rely on us,” he mentioned. “Ukrainian authorities, from the president to his innumerable advisers, continually say that there shall be no negotiations till Ukraine defeats Russia on the battlefield.”
Following Russia’s airstrike Saturday on the port of Odesa, Ukraine, it was not instantly clear how plans to renew delivery Ukrainian grain by sea in protected corridors out of Ukrainian Black Sea ports could be affected.
Lavrov mentioned in Cairo that Russian grain exporters are dedicated to fulfilling their obligations within the wake of twin U.N.-backed deals signed by Moscow and Kyiv to unblock the grain shipments from Ukrainian ports.
“We mentioned the particular parameters of cooperation on this space, agreed on additional contacts between the related ministries, and now we have a standard understanding of the causes of the grain disaster,” he mentioned, with out elaborating.
Russia’s warfare in Ukraine has had dire results on the world financial system, driving up oil and gasoline costs to unprecedented ranges. Ukraine is likely one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, however Russia’s invasion and naval blockade of its ports have halted shipments.
Some Ukrainian grain is transported via Europe by rail, street and river, however with greater transportation prices. The warfare has additionally disrupted shipments of Russian merchandise as a result of delivery and insurance coverage corporations are reluctant to take care of Western sanctions on Russia.
African international locations are amongst these most affected by ripples of the warfare. The costs of significant commodities skyrocketed and billions of {dollars} in assist have been directed to assist those that fled the warfare in Europe. That has left thousands and thousands of individuals in battle areas in Africa and the Center East affected by worsening rising shortages in meals and different help.
In an article posted on the Russian International Ministry web site, Lavrov rejected the West’s accusations that Russia is accountable for the worldwide meals disaster, as “one other try and shift the blame to others.”
In search of to rally African nations on his nation’s aspect, he hailed what he known as “an unbiased path” they took in refraining from becoming a member of the West in sanctioning Russia and the “undisguised makes an attempt of the U.S. and their European satellites to realize the higher hand, and to impose a unipolar world order to the worldwide group.”
The article was additionally revealed in 4 African newspapers.
On the Cairo information convention, Lavrov additionally mentioned a second Russia-Africa summit shall be held in mid-2023 as a part of Moscow’s efforts to develop Russia’s clout on this a part of the world. The first summit was held in 2019 the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Lavrov’s go to comes lower than two weeks after President Joe Biden’s Mideast journey. Biden visited Israel and in addition the occupied West Financial institution earlier than heading to Saudi Arabia. He additionally attended a regional summit of Gulf Arab international locations and in addition Egypt, Jordan and Iraq in Saudi Arabia.
Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous nation, has refused to take sides on Russia’s warfare in Ukraine because it maintains shut ties with each Moscow and the West. Egypt can also be among the many world’s largest importers of wheat, primarily from Russia and Ukraine.
El-Sissi accomplished a three-day visit to Serbia last week, the primary in additional than 30 years by an Egyptian president. Serbia has additionally abstained from becoming a member of Western sanctions in opposition to Russia and has maintained pleasant relations with Moscow regardless of the warfare. The Egyptian chief additionally visited Germany and France final week.
Russia and Egypt have strengthened their ties significantly in recent times as el-Sissi and Russian President Vladimir Putin developed an in depth private rapport, which helped enhance army and financial cooperation.
Additionally final week, Russia’s state-owned atomic power company, Rosatom, started building of a four-reactor energy plant it’s constructing in Egypt.