MOSCOW, December 5. /TASS/. Moscow welcomes the readiness of the leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda to continue working together to return the region to peace and stability, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement said that Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame signed agreements aimed at ensuring lasting peace between the two nations and creating prerequisites for the economic well-being of the entire Great Lakes region on December 4 in Washington.

"Moscow welcomes the readiness of the leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to continue working together to return the region to peace and stability. It proceeds from the fact that this commitment will manifest itself soon in the active and conscientious fulfillment of the obligations assumed," the Foreign Ministry said.

However, the ministry noted with concern the lack of positive changes on the ground, despite the signing this year of political documents to promote peace. "The fighting in the eastern provinces of the DRC continued, the ceasefire was not respected. This casts doubt on the effectiveness of the efforts of international mediators and confirms the thesis that achieving sustainable and long-term peace is impossible without addressing the root causes of the conflict," the ministry said.