[Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Saudi Foreign Minister Speak by Phone, Emphasizing Urgent Peaceful Resolution of Middle East Crisis] The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on April 2nd that Foreign Minister Lavrov and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal spoke by phone that day, expressing serious concern over the continued deterioration of the military and political situation in the Persian Gulf region. Both sides stressed the urgent need to end the military confrontation, which has resulted in civilian casualties and severe damage to civilian infrastructure, including to countries not directly involved in the conflict. They affirmed the need to intensify political and diplomatic efforts to peacefully resolve the Middle East crisis, based on international law and taking into account the legitimate interests of all countries in the region. Against this backdrop, both sides reiterated their firm commitment to maintaining close diplomatic policy coordination between Russia and Saudi Arabia, particularly within the framework of the United Nations.
