Russia’s foreign minister hails ‘new level’ of ties during North Korea trip

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has said Moscow’s relations with North Korea have reached a “new level”, as concern grows over deepening military ties between the two countries amid the war in Ukraine.

Speaking on Thursday in the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, Lavrov hailed last month’s summit in Russia’s far east between Vladimir Putin and the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, as evidence that bilateral ties were at a “qualitatively new, strategic level”.

Russia's Lavrov hails deeper ties in N Korea visit

Moscow has pledged its "complete support" for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, says Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Mr Lavrov, who is on an official trip to North Korea, also thanked the country for its support in Ukraine.

His ongoing trip sets the stage for a possible visit to the country by President Vladimir Putin.

Last week, the US said North Korea had begun sending large shipments of arms to Russia for use in Ukraine.

Sergei Lavrov dismisses Ukraine peace plan and UN effort to revive grain deal

Russia’s foreign minister has told the UN that Ukraine’s proposed peace plan and the latest proposals to revive the Black Sea grain initiative were “not realistic”.

Sergei Lavrov spoke at a press conference on 23 September after a week of intense global diplomacy at the annual gathering of world leaders at UN headquarters in New York where Ukraine and its western allies sought to drum up support for Kyiv.

‘Empire of lies’: Russia’s Lavrov slams West in UN speech

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called the West an “empire of lies” and accused it of adopting a neo-colonial mindset in its overtures to the Global South to win backing for Ukraine in the war.

Speaking after a week of intense global diplomacy at the annual gathering of world leaders at UN headquarters in New York, where Ukraine and its Western allies sought to drum up support for Kyiv as it fights against Russia’s invasion, Lavrov said a “global majority” was being duped by the West.

Russia’s Lavrov says West needs continual reminder of risks of nuclear war

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that possession of nuclear weapons protects Russia from security threats and that Moscow continually reminded the West of the risk of a nuclear conflict.

Lavrov’s comments are the latest reference by Russian officials to their country’s nuclear weapons arsenal, a rhetoric of military escalation by Moscow that has gained tempo and frequency since Russian forces 

Last month, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Moscow would have to use a nuclear weapon if Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russian troops was a success.

Sergey Lavrov: I hope world chooses post-West order

Russia's foreign minister has called for an end to an outdated world order dominated by the West, even as US Vice President Mike Pence has pledged his country's "unwavering" commitment to its transatlantic allies in NATO.

Sergey Lavrov's comments at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday came just hours after Pence promised to stand with Europe to rein in a resurgent Russia and "hold Russia accountable".