Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's video greetings on Diplomats' Day, February 10, 2025
10 February 2025 00:01
182-10-02-2025
Colleagues,
Today, we are celebrating a professional holiday that brings together many generations of diplomats, who have devoted their lives to serving Russia. We are paying tribute to the emerging tradition to honour our country's diplomatic workers, which dates back to 2003, when we first marked this significant date in keeping with President Vladimir Putin's decision.
First of all, I would like to express gratitude to all those who honestly perform their professional duty at the Central Office in Smolenskaya Square, territorial missions in the Russian regions, and our numerous foreign missions. Thank you for your conscientious service, self-denial, and non-indifferent attitude to what has been entrusted to you.
Russian diplomats have always been distinguished by their commitment to the ideals of patriotism and firmly safeguarded the interests of Fatherland at all times, under any social and political system, and under all circumstances. The names of many of them have been forever entered in the glorious annals of Russian history. I am referring to Alexander Bezborodko, Alexander Gorchakov, Alexandra Kollontai, Anatoly Dobrynin, Yevgeny Primakov, Vitaly Churkin, and numerous others. We cherish their memory and honour their services. We use in our practical work the best of what was tested both before the 1917 revolution and in the Soviet epoch. We maintain the invisible continuity of generations and creatively develop the experience of our outstanding predecessors by adapting it to the requirements of modern times.
This year is special on the diplomatic calendar, being marked by the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and World War II. It has also been proclaimed the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland. It is with a particular gratitude that we pay homage to the immortal feat of valour committed by staff members of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs, who rose with arms in hand to the defence of Motherland during the grim years of war. We recall the names of diplomats, our senior colleagues, who were bringing Victory closer at the foreign policy front. They made an invaluable contribution to the establishment of the anti-Hitler coalition and later to reaching fundamental agreements on the postwar international order, the most important of which were the decisions to create the United Nations and approve its Charter whose principles and goals in their totality and interconnection remain relevant to this day. It is largely due to our country's leaders and diplomatic service that the Yalta-Potsdam system of international relations has guaranteed global peace and security for the past eight decades.
Now that Russia is facing fateful challenges again, our priority and sacred duty is to safeguard peace based on the legal results of World War II. There is no doubt that this noble aim will be reached despite all the notorious efforts undertaken by our ill-wishers and open enemies that have put a stake on the gross falsification of historical facts, revival of Nazism and militarism, curtailment of international dialogue and cooperation, and suppression of Russia and other rivals for the sake of heavy-handed domination and neocolonialism.
We will continue to do whatever is possible and necessary to protect Russia's national interests in the context of foreign policy support for the special military operation and to create the safe and most favourable conditions for national development and wellbeing of our people. We will continue to promote multifaceted cooperation with all sober-minded partners and primarily with the Global Majority - former republics of the USSR and countries of Greater Eurasia, Africa, and Latin America. In collaboration with our numerous friends and opinion allies, we will help to strengthen the foundations of multipolarity, create Eurasian security architecture, and establish international interaction mechanisms impervious to the destructive influence of the Western minority.
To address these strategic tasks, it is necessary that all of us brace up, constantly move forward, develop professionally, and remain psychologically stable. Each of us without exception must be in good shape every day, gain new knowledge, perform their part of the overall work in a responsible manner, and seek to do good to their country. The results of diplomats' painstaking efforts have always received well-deserved praise from national leaders.
On this festive day, we recall our senior colleagues, mentors and teachers with a particularly warm feeling. By tradition, we pay the tribute of respect to our dear veterans, both retired and our current co-workers. I am addressing the Foreign Ministry's young staffers: You have joined our close-knit team at a turning point in history and it is you who will bear the banner of Russian diplomacy. Borrow the best from veterans, never pause in your personal development even for a second, and be true to your country and the people of Russia. And, of course, I want to thank the families and friends of our diplomats, particularly those on duty outside their Motherland, for their patience, wisdom, help and loving devotion. A reliable family "home-front" is always a most important component of successful diplomatic work.
I wish you good health, wellbeing, and new attainments for the good of your Fatherland.
Success and good luck to you! Congratulations once again!
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