EAM S Jaishankar meets Sergey Lavrov in Johannesburg, discusses India-Russia cooperation and Ukraine conflict

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Johannesburg, where they discussed the ongoing progress of bilateral cooperation between India and Russia.

During the meeting, the two discussed the Ukraine conflict and Lavrov’s recent meeting in Riyadh.

Sharing a post on X, Jaishankar said, “Glad to meet FM Sergey Lavrov of Russia this evening in Johannesburg. Reviewed the continued progress of India-Russia bilateral cooperation.”

The post added, “Discussed recent developments pertaining to the Ukraine conflict, including his Riyadh meeting. Agreed to remain in touch.”

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry on X wrote, “Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey #Lavrov and Minister of External Affairs of India Dr. @DrSJaishankar hold talks on the sidelines of the #G20 Ministerial.”

Jaishankar on Thursday also held a meeting with his counterparts from Singapore and Brazil on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in South Africa’s Johannesburg.

Jaishankar and his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan discussed their work in furthering bilateral ties. They also spoke about the state of the world.

In a post on X, he stated, “Always a good conversation with FM @VivianBala of Singapore, this time in Johannesburg on the sidelines of G20 FMM. Discussed the state of the world and our work in furthering bilateral ties.”

Notably, Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to South Africa to participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM) at the invitation of South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola.

In a press release, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, “EAM’s participation in the G20 FMM will strengthen India’s engagement with G20 countries and bolster the voice of the Global South in this important forum. EAM is expected to hold a few bilateral meetings in the margins of the FMM.”

South Africa assumed the G20 Presidency from December 1, 2024 through to November 2025. The theme for South Africa’s G20 Presidency is Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability. The theme guides the priorities of the Working Groups in both Sherpa and Finance Tracks and informs the High-Level Deliverables of South Africa’s G20 Presidency, according to the official statement.