The first meeting of the new format “Friends of the World”, which was organized by China and Brazil as part of the common peace plan for Ukraine, was attended by representatives of France and Switzerland. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“The only thing I don’t understand is how the French and Swiss appeared at the meeting. The Swiss can no longer be called neutral… The French are NATO members, zealously advocate for Ukraine, demand victory over the Russian Federation, supply long-range weapons. I asked my Chinese colleague, he says: “They asked very much, and we invited them as observers,” Lavrov said, quoted by RIA Novosti.
“This group still has to work and work,” the Russian minister stated. He noted that Russia is ready “to help with advice, the main thing is that they base their proposals on realities, and not take them from abstract conversations.”
In the communique on the results of the first meeting, the Friends of the World stated the need to de-escalate the conflict on the Ukraine, the inadmissibility of the use of nuclear weapons and attacks on energy facilities.
The meeting of the Friends of the World group was held at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday. In addition to the Chinese delegation, representatives of Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, Mexico, Zambia and 17 other countries of the Global South took part in it.
As reported by EADaily, Hungary will join the Friends of the World group, which is being created at the initiative of China and Brazil to resolve the conflict on Ukraine. This was stated on the M1 TV channel by the country’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
“Fifteen countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Mexico, Kenya, Zambia and Kazakhstan, will gather for a meeting led by China and Brazil, to prepare the formation of the Friends of the World group,” said Szijjarto, quoted by RIA Novosti.
According to the Hungarian minister, in addition to Hungary, two other European countries — France and Switzerland – have also been invited to the event.
Szijjarto also noted that the states of the Global South “are disappointed that they have to pay for a conflict that is far away for them on the Ukraine, and they want peace.”