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The letters of credence were presented by: Akira Muto (Japan), Sarah Taylor (Canada), Simona Halperin (State of Israel), Carmelo Inguanez (Republic of Malta), Thit Linn Ohn (Republic of the Union of Myanmar), Aristide Rapougdondba Ludovic Tapsoba (Burkina Faso), Dato' Cheong Loon Lai (Malaysia), Ivan Orlic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Genc Pecani (Republic of Albania), Mark Julian Trainor (New Zealand), Vinay Kumar (Republic of India), Enrique Ignacio Ferrer Vieyra (Argentine Republic), Alexander Rogozhnik (Republic of Belarus), Cecilia Piccioni (Italian Republic), Ricardo Martínez Vazquez (Kingdom of Spain), Julian Clare (Ireland), Jesper Var (Kingdom of Denmark), Michel Gerebtzoff (Kingdom of Belgium), Joanneke Marijke Balfoort (Kingdom of the Netherlands), Peter Mutuku Mathuki (Republic of Kenya), Siphandone Oybouabouddy (Lao People's Democratic Republic), Kubanychbek Bokontaev (Kyrgyz Republic), Marja Elina Liivala (Republic of Finland), Genet Teshome Jirru (Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia), Issa Abdou Sidikou (Republic of Niger), Gurgen Arsenyan (Republic of Armenia), Rahman Mustafayev (Republic of Azerbaijan) and Mark Grey Marongwe (Republic of Zimbabwe).

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Speech at the ceremony to present letters of credence

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.

I warmly welcome you to the Kremlin for the ceremonial presentation of credentials. We are joined here by the extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassadors of 28 states.

Colleagues, you can rely on the support of the Russian authorities, ministries, and departments, as well as the goodwill and constructive engagement of Russian business, political, and public circles.

We are genuinely interested in your success. You have been entrusted with an important and responsible mission: to manage the relationships between the countries you represent and Russia, addressing a range of issues, including those that have a complex nature: political, economic, and humanitarian matters.

As for our country, it is open to mutually beneficial cooperation with all states without exception, based on the principles of equality, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and strict adherence to international law.

We support the establishment of a fair system of global economic relations, free from unfair competition, unilateral sanctions, and politically motivated restrictions.

Russia is actively engaged in international affairs and follows a constructive foreign policy that considers both our national interests and the objective trends of global development.

This was underscored by the recent large-scale BRICS summit held in Kazan, which marked the peak of Russia’s chairmanship of the group and was a significant event in the global political calendar.

Russia has approached its responsibilities as BRICS chair with a strong sense of duty. Throughout the year, more than 200 events were organised at the highest levels, including ministerial and expert discussions, as well as engagements across business, parliamentary, and public sectors.

Furthermore, we were entrusted with the important responsibility of facilitating the seamless and full integration of the new BRICS participants who joined the association at the beginning of this year.

It is worth noting that these new members quickly and organically became part of our collective efforts. They actively participated in forums, contributed valuable and promising ideas and initiatives, and witnessed how cooperation within BRICS, grounded in mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests, yields concrete and tangible results.

The tradition of holding a special joint meeting with BRICS friends and partners from the Global South and East in the outreach/BRICS Plus format during the group’s summits was continued. This time, at the invitation of the Russian chairmanship, the meeting was attended by the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States, as well as leaders from countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, including those currently heading several key regional organisations.

In total, delegations from 35 countries and 6 international organisations attended the summit in Kazan. This broad representation highlights the interest in BRICS and the desire to engage with our group from countries that pursue genuinely independent and sovereign policies. Each of these nations has its own unique development path, distinct economic growth models, and a rich history and culture.

The strength and immense potential of BRICS undoubtedly stem from its civilisational diversity and the unique blend of national traditions and development models. The group’s role in international affairs and its authority continue to grow.

The strategic vision of the BRICS countries for a future multipolar world, which aligns with the aspirations of the Global Majority, is outlined in the Kazan Declaration, adopted at the conclusion of the summit.

A key outcome of the Kazan summit was the creation of a new category called partner states. A list of potential candidate countries has been agreed upon, to which the Russian chairmanship will extend invitations. Once these countries provide a positive response, they will be granted partner status within BRICS.

Naturally, the summit also addressed the challenging global situation, including the troubling trends towards the escalation of long-standing conflicts and the emergence of new ones, particularly the situation in Ukraine. Additionally, the sharp escalation in the Middle East was discussed in detail during the BRICS Plus/Outreach/meeting.

Regarding Ukraine, we truly value the genuine commitment of our BRICS partners to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the current situation. I have repeatedly stated that Russia is not only open to negotiations but, at the beginning of this conflict, actively engaged in talks that resulted in a mutually acceptable agreement, which was even initialled by the Ukrainian side. However, the Ukrainian government, influenced by external advice, as they have acknowledged, ultimately rejected this agreement.

The fundamentally hostile approach taken by certain Western countries to escalate and prolong the Ukrainian conflict, aiming to achieve a “strategic defeat” for our country, is profoundly misguided. Such unrealistic expectations can only come from those who are unfamiliar with, or unwilling to acknowledge, Russia’s history, as well as the unity, resilience, and solidarity of the Russian people.

I hope that during your time in Russia, you, ladies and gentlemen, esteemed ambassadors, will help foster a more objective and impartial understanding of our country and its policies in the capitals of the states you represent.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The ambassadors of Japan, Canada, Malta, Albania, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Finland are attending this ceremony.

It is no secret that the bilateral contacts at the official level and among businesses and civil society organisations have been reduced to a minimum. Cooperation on important international and regional issues has been frozen as well.

Nevertheless, Russia has always been, and remains, committed to mutually beneficial cooperation and is not seeking confrontation.

I hope that a rational and balanced approach to cooperation with Russia will prevail once again, especially so since the history of your countries’ relations with Russia has deep roots and is filled with examples of mutually beneficial partnerships and enriching cultural exchanges, as well as joint efforts to address pressing international and regional issues.

Since the Ambassador of the State of Israel is in this audience, I will say that Russia is working hard to prevent the current escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from spiraling into a big war in the Middle East.

We believe that a return to the path of reconciliation and a sustainable, long-term resolution is only achievable on a universally recognised international legal basis. The implementation of the two-state solution as approved by the UN Security Council and the General Assembly resolutions is a key prerequisite for restoring peace in the region.

We also have here ambassadors from friendly nations such as Myanmar, Burkina Faso, Malaysia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, India, Argentina, Kenya, Laos, Ethiopia, Niger, and Zimbabwe that are committed to pursuing cooperation with us.

Russia’s cooperation with these countries is multifaceted, mutually beneficial, and truly collaborative, and is built on respect for each other’s sovereign interests. Without a doubt, we will continue to encourage bilateral contacts in politics, the economy, and humanitarian affairs, as well as culture, sports, and education.

Russia’s relations with India, which have attained the level of a particularly privileged strategic partnership, are a case in point. Our countries interact closely in bilateral and multilateral formats such as the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the G20, and, of course, BRICS. This was clearly reaffirmed during my substantial talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan.

With a large group of African ambassadors present here, I would be remiss not to mention the fact that the first Russian-African Partnership Ministerial Forum will be held in Sochi in furtherance of the decisions made during last year’s Russia-Africa summit. We look forward to seeing its participants address plans to further expand Russia’s ties with African countries. These ties are making strides and are mutually beneficial for all our countries, as they promote economic and social growth, and enhance people’s well-being.

Without a doubt, I could speak just as positively about our relations with each of the friendly countries from Asia and Latin America represented at this ceremony.

I am pleased to see the ambassadors of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan here as well. Your countries are our close neighbours and dear friends, as well as natural strategic partners and allies. I met with your leaders quite recently, in October, during the CIS summit in Moscow. Following the tradition, we will get together again in late December to review our accomplishments during the year and to outline plans for the future. In 2025, we will jointly mark the 80^th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, which was made possible by the peoples from all CIS countries.

Addressing the Ambassador of Belarus, I would like to emphasise that the fraternal relations between Russia and Belarus have recently gained considerable momentum. By the way, December marks the 25^th anniversary of the Treaty on the Creation of a Union State. The Supreme State Council of the Union State will meet in Minsk to mark this date. I would like to take this opportunity to wish our Belarusian friends successful presidential elections in January 2025.

Russia and Kyrgyzstan recently marked the 100^th anniversary of the Kara-Kirghiz Autonomous Region within the RSFSR. This event essentially marked the beginning of the Kyrgyz nation’s consolidation and the formation of its territorial and cultural unity within a single administrative entity, and later a sovereign independent Kyrgyz state with which we share truly allied relations.

Our cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan is rooted in the same spirit. We have done, and continue to do, everything possible to normalise Azerbaijani-Armenian relations and to ensure lasting peace in the South Caucasus. We will continue to support efforts towards a peace treaty, border delimitation, and the unblocking of economic and transport links in line with the existing 2020–2022 trilateral agreements signed at the top level.

I am pleased to note that the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia used the BRICS summit in Kazan to hold a productive discussion on key issues related to achieving lasting peace and interethnic accord in the region.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to close by wishing you success in your professional activities and in fulfilling this important diplomatic mission. I hope your time and work in Russia will leave you with favourable impressions.

I wish you all the best.

Thank you for your attention.

I wish you every success in your work.