Nepal and Russia review bilateral ties and discuss cooperation in education, trade, tourism and climate change, while also addressing Nepali nationals serving in the Russian Army and related humanitarian issues.
Nepal and Russia have reviewed the overall state of their bilateral relations and discussed ways to expand cooperation across several sectors during bilateral consultations held in Nepal. The meeting also addressed issues concerning Nepali nationals in the Russian Army, including missing citizens, Nepali nationals detained in Ukraine as prisoners of war and compensation-related matters.
The two sides reaffirmed their longstanding friendship and partnership and exchanged updates on political and economic developments in their respective countries. They expressed a commitment to strengthening cooperation in education, human resource development, culture, tourism, climate change, trade and investment, according to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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The consultations coincided with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Russia. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1956, and the anniversary provided an opportunity to review the progress of their relationship and discuss areas for further engagement.
Issues involving Nepali nationals serving in the Russian Army formed a significant part of the discussions. The two sides exchanged views on missing Nepali nationals, Nepalis detained in Ukraine as prisoners of war and matters concerning compensation. The discussions come amid continued concerns over Nepali citizens who have been recruited or become involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Nepal and Russia also exchanged views on regional and multilateral developments of mutual interest. Climate change and cooperation through multilateral systems were among the issues discussed during the consultations, reflecting the broader areas in which the two countries seek to coordinate their positions.
Nepal’s Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai and Russia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrey Rudenko co-chaired the consultations, leading their respective delegations. The Russian delegation included Russian Ambassador to Nepal Aleksei Surovtsev, officials from the Russian Foreign Ministry and diplomats from the Russian Embassy in Kathmandu.
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The Nepali delegation included Ganesh Prasad Dhakal, Head of the Europe Division at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with officials from the Foreign Ministry and relevant sectoral ministries. Following the consultations, Rai hosted a luncheon for Rudenko and the accompanying Russian delegation.
The bilateral consultations mechanism is based on a Protocol on Consultations signed between Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on September 5, 1995. The latest meeting builds on that framework while providing an avenue for both countries to address bilateral, regional and multilateral matters.