Moscow [Russia], May 16 (ANI): Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, claimed that the West was allegedly trying to fracture India-Russia-China relations, RT India stated.

Western policy in the region is an attempt to create a 'clash' between 'our great friends and neighbours India and China,' he said, RT India reported.

'What is happening right now in the Asia-Pacific region, the West has begun to call it the Indo-Pacific region in order to give its policy a clear anti-Chinese direction, hoping to thereby additionally gain the opportunity to pit our great friends and neighbours India and China against each other. Recently, President Putin recalled that it's simply a divide-and-rule policy,' he said.

https://x.com/RT_India_news/status/1923277596243951906

Ever since the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia and China are fostering closer ties, as Chinese President Xi Jinping on May 8 told Russian leader Vladimir Putin that his country will stand with Moscow against 'unilateralism and hegemonic bullying' during a visit to the country to commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, Al Jazeera reported.

Xi hailed the 'deeper' trust developing between the two countries, appearing to take a swipe at Western critics of Russia's continuing offensive in Ukraine, which Putin has characterised as a war against latter-day Nazis, as per Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, ever since Trump took office, Russia-US ties have improved significantly.

On March 18, US President Donald Trump held a crucial phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to secure a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. The Trump administration is pushing for an immediate halt to hostilities after Ukraine agreed to a temporary cessation of fighting, provided Russia does the same, ABC News reported.

A meeting between US President Donald Trump and Putin is the 'only way' to move forward with talks on ending the war in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday.

Rubio's remarks came as a highly anticipated meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Turkey was downgraded and moved to Friday, after Putin assigned low-level officials to conduct the talks. (ANI)