Putin Reveals What the Goals of Russian Diplomacy Are

Staff at the Russian Foreign Ministry marked their professional holiday on Sunday, with the Russian president devoting particular attention to the need to preserve global strategic stability amid the US’ decision to pull out of a key nuclear arms control treaty, Sputnik reported.

Commenting on Russia’s diplomatic role in strengthening world peace, “resolving regional and global issues, and promoting cooperation with our foreign partners,” President Vladimir Putin stressed the importance of preserving a rules-based order.

“In today’s challenging circumstances, when international security and the rule of law are subjected to serious tests, you, the diplomats, face important and major tasks. In particular, it is imperative to enthusiastically uphold the basic principles of international law and the universal role of the United Nations and to strive to rally the international community in fighting the terrorist threat,” Putin said in his congratulatory message.

“Maintaining strategic stability needs much attention, especially now that the arms control and non-proliferation regime has been challenged,” Putin added, referring to Washington’s recent decision to scrap the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which European officials fear could lead to a new arms race.

Outlining other important objectives for Russian diplomacy, the president stressed the need to advance the peace process in Syria, to step up efforts “to promote Eurasian integration processes” and expand “the external relations of the Eurasian Economic Union with an eye to forming the Greater Eurasian Partnership.” The latter initiative envisions inter-bloc integrative processes among the EEU, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and ASEAN, and consists of virtually the entire continent of Asia.

R.S