Malaysia, Russia call for permanent ceasefire in Gaza

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, stressed Sunday the urgent need for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This came during a meeting between Ibrahim and Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur, where they discussed the ongoing situation in Palestine, stressing the importance of delivering immediate humanitarian relief and recognizing Palestine as a full member of the UN, said Malaysian foreign ministry in a statement. The statement noted that the talks also touched on some pressing global issues including the conflict in Ukraine, reiterating Malaysia's position on the importance of dialogue and diplomatic efforts as the path to a sustainable solution. The discussions focused on Malaysia's recent application for membership in the BRICS alliance, currently chaired by Russia, it added. Lavrov arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday from Laos where he held bilateral meetings with foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries as well as China and Turkiye, in addition to attending the Russia-ASEAN meeting, the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Security Forum. Source: Kuwait News Agency