Russia’s ambassador to Egypt, speaking at a National Day reception in Cairo on Wednesday, praised strong bilateral ties and criticised the “aggressive NATO bloc” over the Ukraine crisis, while outlining Moscow’s positions on global and regional issues.
The event, held at the Cairo Opera House, featured a joint cultural performance and was attended by senior Egyptian government officials, foreign diplomats, and other public figures.
In his address, Ambassador Georgy Borisenko accused the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation of instigating conflict.
“For the past four years, we have once again had to confront another claimant to global hegemony: the aggressive NATO bloc,” Borisenko said. “This bloc has advanced to our borders and turned a part of our ancestral lands into a military foothold against us, hoping to weaken and destroy Russia through a proxy war into which Ukraine was pushed.”
He added, “For this reason, we are not only defending our own security interests but also protecting the right of all peoples to live according to their own traditions, free from foreign dictates.”
The ambassador also highlighted Russia’s economic performance, stating, “Despite the 29,000 sanctions imposed by Western countries dreaming of a return to the colonial era, our economy has risen to become the first in Europe and the fourth in the world in terms of purchasing power parity.”
Borisenko reaffirmed the close relationship between Moscow and Cairo, citing the Comprehensive Partnership and Strategic Cooperation Treaty signed by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. He noted their shared membership in the BRICS group, which he said “will shape the future multipolar world order.”
He said bilateral cooperation was expanding, with trade exceeding $9 billion last year. The cooperation includes Russia’s supply of wheat to Egypt and the construction of the Dabaa nuclear power plant by the state corporation Rosatom.
The depth of the relationship, he said, was reflected in President Sisi’s visit to Moscow on May 9 to attend the 80th-anniversary celebration of the victory over Nazi Germany, where Egyptian soldiers marched alongside Russian troops in Red Square.
On the Palestinian issue, the ambassador stated that Russia and Egypt share a common perspective. “We are making efforts to ensure that its people, whom occupying forces are trying to displace from their homeland, can establish a sovereign, independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.
The reception was attended by Egyptian officials including Counsellor Mahmoud Fawzi, Minister of Parliamentary and Legal Affairs and Political Communication; Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities; Dr. Sherif Farouk, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade; Pilot Sameh El Hefny, Minister of Civil Aviation; and Engineer Mohamed Shimy, Minister of Public Business Sector. Officials from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the House of Representatives and the Senate were also present.
The evening’s cultural programme featured a joint performance by Russia’s “Kostroma” National Ballet and Egypt’s “Reda” Troupe for Folkloric Arts. Borisenko noted the performance was part of the “Global Dance Overture,” an international project launched during the BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024. As part of its tour, the Russian ballet troupe also conducted workshops for students at the Egyptian Academy of Arts.
Concluding his remarks, the ambassador expressed wishes for “success in all their endeavours, peace, and good spirits” to friends in Egypt and other nations. “I am convinced that together, we can overcome all difficulties and improve life on Earth,” he said before inviting guests to a buffet reception.
