Russia reaffirms support for Lebanon's sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity

Moscow, October 12 (KUNA) -- Russia said on Monday that the Israeli occupation’s use of force in Lebanon constitutes a violation of international law, reiterating its support for Lebanon’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. The Russian Foreign Ministry, in a statement, quoted Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as affirming, during talks with his Lebanese counterpart Youssef Raji in Moscow, Moscow’s continued support for Beirut in discussions at the United Nations Security Council and its ongoing provision of humanitarian aid to the Lebanese people. Lavrov stressed the importance of respecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity amid the military escalation by Israeli occupation forces and the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, noting the suffering of approximately one million Lebanese citizens due to the fighting. He added that Russia had sent humanitarian aid to Lebanon last April, confirming that Moscow would continue to assist in delivering relief supplies to those in need. On bilateral relations, Lavrov emphasized the importance of enhancing economic cooperation between Moscow and Beirut and expanding areas of bilateral cooperation, noting that Russian-Lebanese relations have always been characterized by “friendship and goodwill.” He stated that the situation in Lebanon cannot be separated from other tragic developments in the region, expressing hope that these developments would be discussed and that a common approach would be formulated to consolidate positive trends, particularly through reaching understandings and agreements among the countries of the region themselves. The Russian-Lebanese talks reflect continued diplomatic coordination between the two countries regarding regional developments, alongside their interest in strengthening political and economic cooperation, as international efforts continue to contain the escalation in Lebanon, support its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and implement relevant Security Council resolutions. The Russian position comes as UN Security Council Resolution 1701, issued in August 2006, remains the fundamental framework for addressing the security situation on the Lebanese border with the Israeli occupation, calling for a cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of occupation forces from Lebanese territory, and an enhanced deployment of the Lebanese Army in the south. The Security Council, in its Resolution 2790 of 2025, also called for the full implementation of Resolution 1701, respect for the Blue Line, and a cessation of hostilities, reiterating the necessity of withdrawing occupation forces from positions they still occupy within Lebanese territory. (End) D.A.N. / F.S.