Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed support for the activity of Saudi Arabia during its G20 presidency, in a telephone conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud on Aug. 12.
“Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov confirmed support for the activity of Saudi Arabia as G20 chair and Russia’s readiness to contribute towards achieving significant results at the upcoming summit of its leaders and other events within the framework of G20,” the Russian Foreign Ministry. “The diplomats also touched upon the current situation in the World Trade Organization.”
There is also the possibility that Russia and Saudi Arabia could be coordinating their policies concerning the crisis in Lebanon in the aftermath of the Aug. 4 deadly explosion in Beirut’s port. In an interview with Lebanon’s MTZ, Russian Ambassador to Beirut Alexander Zasypkin expressed support for a Lebanese national unity government with Saad Hariri, the former prime minister closely tied to Saudi Arabia. “We prefer the formation of a government of national unity led by (the leader of the Future) Saad Hariri,” the diplomat said.
