Vladimir Putin addressed the eighth
meeting of Russian Federation ambassadors and permanent envoys
at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin:
Colleagues, it is a pleasure to greet you all at this
traditional gathering at the Foreign Ministry. Let me start
by thanking the Foreign Ministry’s heads and staff
and everyone working in our missions abroad for their
professionalism and devotion to their work. I am sure that you
will all continue to work in the same well-coordinated
and effective fashion.
Russia follows an independent foreign
policy and seeks to develop open and honest relations with all
countries, in the west, east, south and north. Russia seeks
mutually advantageous and constructive ties in the broadest
range of areas. We do not impose our will or our values
on others and we fully comply with the provisions of international
law and consistently uphold the key role of the United
Nations and its Security Council in resolving global
and regional problems.
As you know, the world today is far
from stable and the situation is becoming less predictable all
the time. Great change is taking place in all areas of international
relations. Competition for influence and resources is increasing.
At the same time, we see confrontation between different visions
of how to build the
