WASHINGTON, May 20. /TASS/. An event of the Group of Friends in Defense of the United Nations Charter has taken place at the Russian Embassy in Washington, which involved a TASS photo exhibition and a jazz concert.

The event was attended by diplomats from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), China, Africa and Latin America, who had the opportunity to communicate with each other and their Russian colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere, particularly discussing pressing global and bilateral issues.

Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov pointed out that the event’s goal was to show Russia’s readiness for cooperation to solve common problems.

The Russian embassy said in a statement that the exhibition "Photo-chronicle of historical periods of the Russian Federation's chairmanship in the UN General Assembly", "prepared jointly with the TASS news agency," included photographs depicting "President of Russia Vladimir Putin, as well as Russian foreign ministers delivering speeches at the World Organization." "Other events on the sidelines of the UN with the participation of Russian leadership and diplomacy are also captured," the embassy added.

The embassy’s Third Secretary and protocol chief Mikhail Pontser pointed out that Russia had always been an active supporter of the United Nations’ central role in resolving global issues. He expressed hope that the event would become a symbol of cooperation and reliance on multilateral action.

The Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter comprises Algeria, Angola, Belarus, Bolivia, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, Laos, Nicaragua, North Korea, Palestine, Russia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. The group, initiated by Venezuela in 2019, calls for preserving the UN’s principles and opposes NATO’s aggression aimed at promoting a rules-based order.