Gulf countries will not impose sanctions on Russia, says Russian FM

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will not join the West in imposing sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, said yesterday.

“Aspects of the international situation, which are connected with the events unfolded by the West around Ukraine, are well understood by our partners from the Gulf Cooperation Council States,” Lavrov told reporters in Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh. His visit included meetings with GCC Foreign Ministers.

The Russian Foreign Ministry recently said in a statement that Lavrov and his Emirati counterpart, Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, had discussed “close cooperation on stabilising oil global prices”.

On grain exports, Lavrov accused the Ukrainian government of “blocking the way for its grain to get exports abroad”.  “Our offer to our Western partners is clear, which includes providing corridors for ships transporting grain, after clearing mines, and the Turkish side has offered to help clear mines,” he said.

READ: Western countries rallying countries to protect status quo, Russia FM says