Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that Russia will take further steps on Syria if needed after admitting that his country’s “humanitarian” flights to Syria carry military equipment as well as humanitarian aid. Lavrov also said Russian military servicemen have been present in Syria for many years. Source: Al Arabiya
Sanctions are forcing Russia to find alternative settlement currencies to the US dollar to ensure the security of the country’s economy, according to President Vladimir Putin.“We are moving to the de-dollarization of the economy. We are doing so not because we want to undermine the dollar, but because we want to ensure our security. We are constantly facing sanctions, they do not give us the opportunity to work in dollars,” Putin said on Thursday at the Valdai Discussion Club meeting in Sochi. Source RT
Leaders from Russia, Turkey, Germany and France will meet in Istanbul next week in an effort to shore up a truce preventing further violence in Syria’s last rebel-held region and bolster the political process toward ending the seven-year civil war. Source: Bloomberg
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that his country is ready to further strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to safeguard and promote common interests and global peace and development. Source: Xinhuanet
