The key facts
- Lavrov arrived in Manama, where he was greeted by Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, and Russian Ambassador Alexey Skosyrev.
- Bahrain is hosting the ninth round of the Russia–GCC strategic dialogue at the foreign ministers' level; the previous one took place in Sochi in September 2025.
- Russian Foreign Ministry: the meeting will feature an exchange of views on a wide range of international and regional issues, with meetings planned on the sidelines.
Visit to Manama
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Bahrain on Saturday to take part in a meeting of the Moscow–Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) dialogue format. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the arrival of the head of Russian diplomacy in the kingdom's capital, Manama, accompanying the announcement with photographs of the welcome ceremony.
Who greeted Lavrov
At the airport, the Russian minister was greeted by his Bahraini counterpart Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, as well as Russia's Ambassador to Manama Alexey Skosyrev.
About the upcoming meeting
The visit is timed to the ninth meeting of the Russia–GCC strategic dialogue at the level of foreign ministers, held in Bahrain. The previous, eighth round took place in September 2025 in the Sochi format. Official spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday that participants will exchange views on a wide range of international and regional issues. She also added that Lavrov will hold a number of meetings on the sidelines of the event.
