Foreign relations of Russia

The credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's has downgraded its assessment of Russia's ability to repay foreign debt, signaling rising prospects that Moscow will soon default on external loans for the first time in more than a century.

Asked about Russia's reaction to Serbia's vote to suspend Russia in the Human Rights Council, Vucic said:

The EU Council today adopted the fifth package of sanctions against Russia - the most severe so far. They were imposed because of the war against Ukraine.

For the first time, a ban has been imposed on the import of coal from Russia, as well as on the entry of Russian-flagged ships into EU ports. The ban also affects Russia's import of vodka from the EU.

The countries of the Group of Seven (G-7) will increase pressure on Russia, including by imposing additional sanctions on Russian state structures. G7 leaders said this in a statement issued yesterday after the summit.

This was announced today by the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergey Lavrov.
"The new Ukrainian version of the agreement does not state that Ukraine's security guarantees do not apply to Crimea and Sevastopol, so Ukraine is proposing that leaders of both sides discuss those territories, which is unacceptable for Russia," Lavrov said.

Russia believes the West is allowing "hysteria" over alleged mass killings in the Ukrainian city of Bucha to disrupt peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv, Lavrov said.
He added that the alleged events in the city, which he called a "provocation", were introduced at the very moment when progress was made in the peace negotiations in Istanbul.

Dmitry Peskov said it is aimed at discrediting the Russian army

"Progress has been made in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine but this progress has not yet been reflected in agreements between the countries." This was stated to reporters by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, quoted by RIA Novosti.

Beyond strong words and wide-ranging sanctions against Russia, Europe must recommit itself to the 'Core Values' it has strayed from, in Ukraine, the Western Balkans and elsewhere.

"Bulgaria strongly supports tough sanctions in response to Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, including sanctions against the Security Council of the Russian Federation and President Putin."