CAIRO (AP) — Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov is in Cairo for talks Sunday with Egyptian officers as his nation seeks to interrupt diplomatic isolation and sanctions by the West over its invasion of Ukraine.
Lavrov landed in Cairo late Saturday, the primary leg of his Africa journey that will even embody stops in Ethiopia, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, in accordance with Russia’s state-run RT.
The Egyptian Overseas Ministry mentioned Overseas Minister Sameh Shukry was holding talks with Lavrov Sunday morning.
The Russian chief diplomat was scheduled to satisfy later Sunday with the Arab League Secretary Basic Ahmed Aboul Gheit. He will even deal with the everlasting representatives of the pan-Arab group, RT reported.
Russia’s battle in Ukraine has had dire results on the world financial system, driving up oil and gasoline costs to unprecedented ranges.
Ukraine is likely one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, however Russia’s invasion of the nation and naval blockade of its ports have halted shipments. Some Ukrainian grain is transported via Europe by rail, highway and river, however with larger transportation prices.
The battle has disrupted shipments of Russian merchandise as a result of delivery and insurance coverage corporations didn’t wish to cope with Western sanctions on the nation.
African counties are amongst these most affected by ripples of the battle. The costs of significant commodities skyrocketed and billions of {dollars} in help have been directed to assist those that fled the battle in Europe. That has left thousands and thousands of individuals in battle areas in Africa and the Center East affected by worsening rising shortages in meals and different help.
Lavrov’s conferences with Egyptian officers and Arab envoys in Cairo come lower than two weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden’s Mideast journey. Biden met with the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, earlier than convening a summit with the leaders of Arab Gulf international locations, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq in Saudi Arabia.
Egypt, the Arab World’s most populous nation, refused to take sides for the reason that battle in Ukraine started in February because it maintains shut ties with each Moscow and the West. Egypt is among the many world’s largest importers of wheat, with a lot of that from Russia and Ukraine.
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi has cultivated a detailed private rapport with Russia President Vladimir Putin. Each leaders have strengthened bilateral ties significantly prior to now few years.
Lavrov’s go to to Cairo got here as Russia’s state-owned atomic power company, Rosatom, started final week the development of a four-reactor energy plant it’s constructing in Egypt.
