Moscow [Russia], January 22 (ANI): Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday underlined the achievements of international diplomacy within the BRICS grouping, praising Brazil's 'productive work' as chair of the bloc in 2025.

He was speaking at his annual press conference, moderated by Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, which reviewed Russia's foreign policy outcomes over the past year.

'All BRICS countries are our good partners; over the past year, our relations with each of them have strengthened, and the foundation for the development of further cooperation in all areas has been reinforced. We note the task of strengthening BRICS and the growing interest in this group. We provided every possible support to the Brazilian chairmanship of BRICS last year. Our Brazilian friends proposed many projects and continued the implementation of projects that we launched back at the BRICS Summit in Kazan in the autumn of 2024,' Lavrov said.

The minister also said preparations are underway for the third Russia-Africa Summit, scheduled for 2026. He noted that a key milestone in this process was the second conference of foreign ministers of Russia and African Union countries, held in Cairo in December 2025.

Lavrov highlighted the successful conclusion of the cross Years of Culture of Russia and China (2024-2025), during which several hundred events were organised in both countries. He recalled that Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have announced 2026-2027 as the Years of Education of Russia and China, aimed at deepening youth, cultural and humanitarian exchanges.

'This is also a most important part of cultural exchanges, first and foremost youth exchanges,' Lavrov said, adding that cooperation is expanding in sports, archival work and people-to-people ties, supported by a mutual visa-free regime and record travel figures.

Emphasising India's importance, Lavrov recalled the privileged strategic partnership with New Delhi, referencing President Vladimir Putin's state visit and meetings with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December last year.

On BRICS economic cooperation, the minister cited expanding projects with Iran, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant and the International North-South Transport Corridor. He also described relations with Vietnam, which joined BRICS as a partner country in 2025, as a 'strategic partnership' marked by 'special relations.'

The three-hour press conference was attended by representatives of Russian and international media. (ANI)