G20 summit: Russia, Chinese foreign ministers discuss ties with US

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met on Thursday and discussed topics that included ties with the US and the Ukranian conflict, Russian state media reported.

Lavrov said that he will meet with Wang Yi again in Moscow soon, TASS news agency cited the Russian foreign minister as saying during talks with his Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of the G20 ministerial meeting in South Africa.

The discussions between the two diplomats involved a wide range of topics, including relations with the US and the Ukrainian conflict, the Russian foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Lavrov as cited by state media pointed out that relations between Moscow and Beijing "have become and will remain an increasingly important factor in stabilizing the international situation and preventing it from sliding toward total confrontation."

"Our strategic relations will extend to our work in the UN, in particular in the Security Council, in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in BRICS, in ASEAN and, of course, in the G20, which is an important step in promoting the principles of multipolarity and getting our Western colleagues used to honest, fair, balanced and mutually respectful work," Lavrov emphasized as per TASS.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on February 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as a follow-up to President Donald Trump's conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12. While Rubio was joined by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Ambassador Steve Witkoff, Lavrov was joined by Russian Aide to President Putin, Yuri Ushakov.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi held bilateral meetings with several top European officials, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas during the during the 61st Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich on February 15, the Voice of America (VoA) reported.

"There is no fundamental conflict of interest or geopolitical conflicts between China and the EU," Wang said during his meeting with Kallas on Saturday, adding that Beijing "supports all endeavors conducive to peace and backs Europe in playing a significant role" in the peace negotiation process regarding the war in Ukraine, the VoA said.

Meanwhile, speaking at the opening of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting at Nasrec in Johannesburg, South African President Ramaphosa emphasised the significance of hosting the G20 Leaders' Summit on African soil. The Foreign Ministers Meeting, hosted by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, took place under South Africa's G20 Presidency theme of 'Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability'.

With the United Nations marking its 80th anniversary, President Ramaphosa reiterated South Africa's call for reforming the UN Security Council, the multilateral trading system, and the international financial architecture to make them more representative and responsive to today's realities.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is participating in the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting (FMM) at the invitation of the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, Ronald Lamola.

As per a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs, in the G20 FMM will strengthen India's engagement with G20 countries and bolster the voice of the Global South in the forum.