Russian sources confirm presence through Spanish news agency Efe

Russia will be participating in the Oceans Conference to be held in Lisbon between 27 June and 1 July, Spanish news agency Efe reports today.

Sources from the diplomatic representation of the Russian Federation in Lisbon said that the country “attaches importance to the topic” and that it “will participate”, without specifying at what level, which is to be defined by the head of Russian diplomacy.

Around two dozen heads of state and government have already confirmed they will be in Lisbon for the second conference promoted by the United Nations centred on the oceans.

Lusa has contacted the Portuguese foreign affairs ministry to confirm the presence of the Russian Federation, but says is “still awaiting a reply”.

Alexandre Leitão, vice-president of the conference’s organising committeesaid on Monday in a meeting with journalists that the invasion of Ukraine by Russia had so far “no visible impact on the holding of the conference”. He indicated that in the four weeks before the start of the event, “there is plenty of time for countries to organise their participation”.

Asked if it would be possible for Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address the conference remotely from the Ukrainian capital, Leitão stressed that the conference is a face-to-face meeting and that “whoever is there speaks”, but that the final word will always be the United Nations, whose members have the right to participate without reservations.

Delegations from 193 countries will participate in the conference postponed since 2020 because of the pandemic, addressing threats to the oceans, such as the loss of oxygenation and consequent acidification, which destroys biodiversity, marine pollution and forms of “blue economy” that allow the exploitation of resources without depleting them.

Source: LUSA