NIZHNY NOVGOROD, June 10. /TASS/. Russia highly values relations with Ethiopia and expects that this country’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will take part in the BRICS summit in Kazan in October, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a meeting with his Ethiopian counterpart, Taye Atskeselassie.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the BRICS ministerial conference in Nizhny Novgorod.

"We highly estimate relations with Ethiopia. I think you remember how important [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin’s meetings with Prime Minister Ahmed were. They met in 2019 during the Russia-Africa summer and in July 2023 during the second such summit. Of course, we expect him to take part in the BRICS summit in Kazan this October," Lavrov said.

Earlier in the day, Lavrov met with top diplomats from China, Egypt, Brazil, and South Africa.