MOSCOW, May 26. /TASS/. Russia is grateful to Somalia for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s decision to personally attend the Russia-Africa Summit, due to be held in St. Petersburg in July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday after his talks with Somali Foreign Minister Abshir Omar Huruse.

"We are grateful to our Somali friends for the decision of Somali President Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to attend this event in person," he said.

In addition, Lavrov pointed out that Russia appreciates the balanced and even-handed stance that Somalia has taken in regard to Ukraine.

"We share our assessment of the situation, and I believe the vast majority of developing countries understand the primary causes of this crisis, which are rooted in the ambitions of the United States and its allies, by way of enlarging NATO in defiance of all previous guarantees, to recklessly cement their dominance not only in Europe but also in other regions," he stressed.

According to Lavrov, Russia will, in turn, support the Somali government’s legitimate positions when the situation in that country is debated in the UN Security Council.

"We consider it crucial that the previously announced sanctions be lifted, albeit gradually, but still lifted," the minister added. "They have already become an obstacle to the Somali government’s efforts to stabilize the situation."