Sri Lanka’s Pathfinders Host Roundtable with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister

Apr 2, 2026 at 12:04 PM

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Lanka Leader

A delegation from Russia, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko, participated in a roundtable discussion organized by the Pathfinder Foundation Research Center in Sri Lanka.

The discussion covered a broad range of international and regional issues, along with key aspects of bilateral relations.

Addressing the gathering, Rudenko emphasized that Russia would continue advancing the Eurasian Security Initiative proposed by President Vladimir Putin.

He also expressed support for reforms to the United Nations Security Council, while cautioning that such changes should be implemented carefully.

Commenting on global geopolitical tensions, Rudenko stated that international governance institutions are facing erosion. He asserted that Iran had not provoked the United States or Israel, describing Iran as a victim of what he called an illegal attack, and emphasized that Tehran is exercising its right to self-defense.

He further noted that, unlike the United States and the United Kingdom—which he accused of providing intelligence support to Ukraine for strikes against Russian civilian infrastructure—Moscow does not share intelligence with Tehran.

On economic matters, Rudenko highlighted that the temporary easing of sanctions on Russian energy exports presents opportunities for countries in the Global South. However, he stressed that Russia seeks long-term strategic partnerships rather than short-term transactions, adding that such an approach would contribute to strengthening global energy security.

He also pointed out that Russia possesses unique capabilities in peaceful nuclear energy, noting that a floating nuclear power plant is currently supplying electricity to parts of Siberia.