Lavrov announces another Russian delegation to visit Syria next week

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Wednesday that another round of high-level meetings between Russia and Syria is planned for next week.

"Next week, we are scheduled to hold high-level contacts with our Syrian colleagues. We will provide further details later," Lavrov said during the Government Hour, an annual meeting between the foreign minister and members of parliament.

Lavrov praised the Jan. 29 visit of a Russian delegation to Syria, noting that the new Syrian leadership recognizes the historically strategic nature of its relationship with Moscow. It was the first visit by Russian officials to Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December.

"The current Syrian leaders have publicly reaffirmed the importance of preserving the historically strategic nature of our relations," he said.

During the visit, Russian representatives met the Syrian president and several ministers, Lavrov added.

"It is clear that one of their central concerns is preventing a repeat of the Libyan scenario, where, following NATO aggression, the country lost its statehood, fell apart, and has been unable to recover. Similar threats exist in Syria, and the new leadership understands this," he said.

Turning to Russia’s engagement with Africa, Lavrov announced Moscow plans to open seven embassies on the continent within the next two years.

"By 2026, we plan to open embassies in Gambia, Liberia, the Comoros, Niger, Sierra Leone, Togo, and South Sudan," he said.