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Shoukry, Lavrov Meet in Moscow, Discuss Cooperation, Int’l Developments

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry shake hands during a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, January 31, 2023. (Reuters)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry shake hands during a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, January 31, 2023. (Reuters)
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Shoukry, Lavrov Meet in Moscow, Discuss Cooperation, Int’l Developments

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry shake hands during a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, January 31, 2023. (Reuters)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry shake hands during a news conference following their talks in Moscow, Russia, January 31, 2023. (Reuters)

Egypt and Russia stressed on Tuesday the importance of developing bilateral relations between their countries at all levels.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Moscow for talks on regional and international issues, notably the Ukrainian crisis.

At a joint press conference, Shoukry said the talks focused on the common goal of developing Egyptian-Russian relations for the best interests of their people and achieving economic growth.

He said their discussions tackled regional and international affairs, including the developments in the Palestinian territories, Libya and Syria.

For his part, Lavrov said: “Views were exchanged on regional and international issues, and an emphasis was placed on the need to continue close cooperation at the United Nations and other international arenas.”

On Ukraine, he stated that the Russian army had taken all necessary measures to prevent the West from achieving their plans in Ukraine.

He added that Moscow was open to serious proposals for a full and comprehensive settlement to the conflict.

Moreover, he revealed that Shoukry delivered to him a message from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the issue, stressing that Russia was currently assessing Egypt’s “balanced” approach to the war in Ukraine.

The message, he revealed, urged Russia to “stop its actions in Ukraine in order for negotiations to succeed.”

Shoukry stressed that Egypt, along with the whole international community, are keen on seeing an end to the war in Ukraine.

Egypt has been exerting political and diplomatic efforts to help end the conflict in a way that meets the interests of all parties, added the FM.

Blinken had met with Shoukry on Monday during a visit to Cairo.

On regional developments, Shoukry said Cairo was coordinating with Moscow to advance the settlement in the Palestinian territories and work towards implementing the two-state solution.

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Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
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Kurdish Fighters Leave Northern City in Syria as Part of Deal with Central Government

A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)
A first contingent of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters leave Aleppo, headed for SDF-controlled northeastern Syria, in Aleppo, Syria, 04 April 2025. (EPA)

Scores of US-backed Kurdish fighters left two neighborhoods in Syria’s northern city of Aleppo Friday as part of a deal with the central government in Damascus, which is expanding its authority in the country.

The fighters left the predominantly Kurdish northern neighborhoods of Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh, which had been under the control of Kurdish fighters in Aleppo over the past decade.

The deal is a boost to an agreement reached last month between Syria’s interim government and the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast. The deal could eventually lead to the merger of the main US-backed force in Syria into the Syrian army.

The withdrawal of fighters from the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) came a day after dozens of prisoners from both sides were freed in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city.

Syria’s state news agency, SANA, reported that government forces were deployed along the road that SDF fighters will use to move between Aleppo and areas east of the Euphrates River, where the Kurdish-led force controls nearly a quarter of Syria.

Sheikh Maksoud and Achrafieh had been under SDF control since 2015 and remained so even when forces of ousted President Bashar al-Assad captured Aleppo in late 2016. The two neighborhoods remained under SDF control when forces loyal to current interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa captured the city in November, and days later captured the capital, Damascus, removing Assad from power.

After being marginalized for decades under the rule of the Assad family rule, the deal signed last month promises Syria’s Kurds “constitutional rights,” including using and teaching their language, which were banned for decades.

Hundreds of thousands of Kurds, who were displaced during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, will return to their homes. Thousands of Kurds living in Syria who have been deprived of nationality for decades under Assad will be given the right of citizenship, according to the agreement.

Kurds made up 10% of the country’s prewar population of 23 million. Kurdish leaders say they don’t want full autonomy with their own government and parliament. They want decentralization and room to run their day-to day-affairs.