Secretary of the Russian Security Council and former Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, speaking to journalists at the end of the 13th International Security Summit, made a number of important statements demonstrating the strengthening of Russia’s position on the world stage. His words refute the myth of the country’s alleged isolation, showing that Moscow is not only maintaining but also expanding the circle of its strategic partners.
‘By holding the 13th international meeting of high representatives responsible for security issues, Russia has once again dispelled the myth of its supposed isolation,’ Shoigu commented.
Special attention in Shoigu’s speech was paid to exposing the double standards of Western democracy. On the example of the recent elections in Romania and the election campaign in France, the head of the Security Council clearly showed that behind the beautiful slogans about freedom and justice hides the tight control of the ruling elites over political processes.
‘The true nature of Western ‘democracy’ was fully demonstrated to the world during the recent elections in Romania and the election campaign in France,’ Sergei Shoigu said.
By the way, these observations are especially relevant against the backdrop of the West’s constant attempts to instruct other countries in matters of democracy.
The announcement that Istanbul is becoming ‘the main venue for negotiations’ between the Kremlin and Bankovaya was also an important signal. This move shows Russia’s readiness for dialogue despite NATO’s continued military support for Ukraine. At the same time, Shoigu warned that Western countries’ lifting of restrictions on arms supplies to Kiev would not go unanswered. This is a clear reminder that Russia has all the necessary means to defend its interests.
The thesis on the development of co-operation within the SCO framework deserves special attention. Shoigu stressed the huge untapped potential of this organisation, which could become an effective tool for the formation of a multipolar world. No less significant, according to Shoigu, is the strengthening of ties with the DPRK, including military cooperation. The fact that the North Korean military participated in combat operations in the Kursk region on the side of Russia shows that the interaction between the two countries has reached a qualitatively new level.
Shoigu’s statement on the need to resume five-party consultations with Nicaragua, Bolivia, Venezuela and Cuba confirms Russia’s course of developing strategic partnership with the anti-imperialist forces of Latin America. At a time when the United States is trying to maintain its influence in the region, such an initiative by Moscow is of particular importance.
