Lavrov sees no grounds to change Russia’s foreign policy course after upcoming elections

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stressed that there are no political or legislative grounds to change Moscow’s foreign policy course after the State Duma (lower house of parliament) elections scheduled for September.

"I don’t see any political or legislative reasons for this foreign policy course to change. It is approved by the president in accordance with the Russian constitution. That’s what we are guided by," the minister said on Friday.

He underlined that all four parliament factions are currently actively working with the diplomatic agency to advance this course. "Overall, this [foreign policy] course enjoys a broad support in the society, which helps us to work," Lavrov said, adding that he felt this support in real life during his trips around Russia.

The Russian Central Election Commission approved the ruling United Russia party’s federal electoral list on July 11. At the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, following the June 19 party congress, the federal part of the party’s list included Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, chief physician of Moscow’s Kommunarka hospital Denis Protsenko, co-chair of the central headquarters of the All-Russia People's Front Yelena Shmeleva and children's rights commissioner Anna Kuznetsova.