Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath met with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko at the Ministry in Colombo on Thursday (02), where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.
According to a Foreign Ministry statement, visiting Deputy Minister Rudenko praised Sri Lanka as a “very beautiful country” with “friendly people,” noting that Russia considers Sri Lanka a longstanding friend.
He assured that Russia is prepared to support Sri Lanka whenever needed, pledging a swift supply of Russian oil during the current energy crisis, encouraging Russian investors to explore new opportunities in Sri Lanka, and promoting greater tourist arrivals.
He also expressed readiness to provide compensation for Sri Lankan war veterans who lost their lives in Russia’s conflict against Ukraine.
Minister Vijitha Herath welcomed Russia’s willingness to assist, stressing that Sri Lanka deeply values the support of its “old friend” during a time of pressing energy needs.
He highlighted that the two countries share nearly 70 years of diplomatic ties and said the present moment is ideal to further strengthen relations, including through long-term trade agreements.
The meeting underscored both nations’ intention to deepen cooperation across energy, investment, tourism, and diplomatic spheres, reinforcing the historic friendship between Sri Lanka and Russia. (Newswire)