MOSCOW, March 30. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Nicaraguan counterpart Denis Moncada Colindres, who is on a working visit to Russia on March 28-31, will hold a meeting on Thursday.

The two top diplomats last met on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2022. Moncada Colindres also met with Lavrov as a member of Nicaragua’s delegation to the 2022 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The two countries’ foreign ministers held a telephone conversation in March 2023.

Lavrov and Moncada Colinders plan to discuss international issues and a wide range of bilateral matters, including ways to boost political dialogue, as well as trade, economic, scientific, cultural and humanitarian ties.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that special attention would be paid to enhancing interaction on international platforms, primarily within the United Nations. "The parties will also touch upon the need to promote Russia’s dialogue with the leading integration associations in Latin America," she noted.

Nicaragua supports Russia on the international stage. In particular, the country co-sponsored a resolution on the act of sabotage against the Nord Stream gas pipelines within the UN. In addition, both Moscow and Managua expressed concern about acts of religious intolerance in Europe within the United Nations Human Rights Council. In February, Nicaragua voted against a UN resolution putting the blame on Russia and demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Besides, both countries are members of the Group of Friends in Defense of the UN Charter.

Russia has repeatedly announced plans to step up the mechanism of political dialogue with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and Nicaragua has also highlighted CELAC’s importance as a tool for dialogue.

Ahead of the meeting, the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed to "the strong ties of friendship and mutual respect" between the two countries, as well as to progress in political dialogue at the highest level.

In January 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega, congratulating him on his re-election. According to the Kremlin press service, the parties emphasized the need "to maintain close coordination on the international stage in line with Russia-Nicaragua strategic partnership.".