Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Youssef Al-Sharif, who began a three-day visit to Moscow on Feb. 10.
Following his meeting, Lavrov said Russia is prepared to work alongside international partners to help restore stability in Sudan. “As true friends, we are deeply concerned about the dramatic events unfolding in Sudan. We are ready to join other external players in supporting efforts to normalize the situation,” he said during the meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Youssef Al-Sharif. Lavrov also said that the full resumption of bilateral cooperation depends on security conditions in Sudan.
Al-Sharif noted that his country values Moscow’s solidarity during the current “serious war between the [Sudanese] army and the Rapid Support Forces.”
This conflict has been raging since April 2023, when the Rapid Support Forces launched a rebellion. Russia has recognized Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, President of Sudan’s Sovereignty Council and commander-in-chief of the Sudanese army. Al-Burhan has attended several Africa-Russia conferences in the last year as head of state.
Earlier this month al-Burhan had announced that he was inviting a nonpartisan leader to form a new “care taker government” aimed at finally defeating the RSF.
