18 Mar 2022 21:17

Lavrov briefs Arab countries' ambassadors on special military operation in Ukraine

MOSCOW. March 18 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov briefed the heads of Arab countries' diplomatic missions accredited in Moscow and senior officials of the Arab League's representative office on the situation in Ukraine and the West's sanctions policy at a meeting on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"The ambassadors were informed in detail about our assessments of the situation in Ukraine and around it, as well as about the course of the special military operation to defend the republics of Donbas," the Foreign Ministry said on its website on Friday.

"Sergei Lavrov emphasized that countries of the collective West are waging an overt economic war against Russia and are exerting unprecedented sanctions pressure, gravely violating all norms of international law," it said.

"The foreign minister of Russia offered extensive clarification on the Arab diplomats' questions as to how the security of the civilian population in Ukraine, including foreign citizens, is being ensured, how humanitarian corridors are being organized and how assistance is being provided to refugees," the ministry said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the start of a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24. Western countries responded by imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia.