MOSCOW, December 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a draft of the updated foreign policy concept with the Russian Security Council on Wednesday.
"We have agreed to discuss the concept of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation today, and the speaker is Foreign Minister Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov," Putin said.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov, Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergey Naryshkin, and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergey Ivanov.
In January, Putin discussed the updated concept of Russia’s foreign policy with permanent members of the Security Council. However, the document was sent back for revision. The Russian president emphasized earlier that practical areas of foreign policy and diplomatic work are expected to be enshrined in the new edition of the concept. According to Putin, the document and Russia’s National Security Strategy, which was approved earlier, will be the roadmap for the Foreign Ministry as well as for other ministries and agencies.
In the fall, the Russian Foreign Ministry and Security Council said that the process of finalizing and approving the document was in full swing. The Security Council also noted that the concept would reflect a new approach to relations with the West.