June 12 – Russia Day

11/06/2025

On June 12 Russia celebrates its national holiday. Historically, this day marks the adoption exactly 35 years ago of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. It was the official name under which Russia was known in the Soviet period of its being.

Our country’s continuous history, however, spans more than a millennium. Modern Russia is the successor to Ancient Rus’ (also known as Kievan Rus), the Tsardom of Moscow, the Russian Empire, and finally the Soviet Union. Stretching for thousands of kilometers from the Baltic Sea in Europe to the Pacific Ocean in the Asian Far East, Russia represents a unique and distinctive civilization with its own rich traditions.

The Russian culture is an integral part of the global cultural heritage.

It is impossible to imagine world literature without the works of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, or music without the creations of Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich.

Throughout its history, Russia has faced uncountable challenges and harsh trials. Numerous foreign invaders – from Genghis Khan’s Asian hordes in the early Middle Ages to the European conquerors such as Napoleon and Hitler in 19th and 20th centuries – have tried to subdue it. However, our country not only withstood these onslaughts but also helped other subjugated peoples to break free. The Soviet Union’s contribution to the liberation of the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America from Western European colonialism is also widely recognized.

In light of recent geopolitical transformations, the collective West, which is undergoing a systemic crisis, does not shy away from using all means to pressure those who refuse to submit to its dictate. Economic sanctions, political pressure and threats of force are being employed. In such conditions, Russia is standing up to Western hegemonism, which is seeking to isolate our country and inflict on it a strategic defeat. Together with our like-minded partners, we are advocating for a new, just and multipolar world order, based on true equality without dictate or double standards. The West-promoted concept of the so-called rules-based international order does not serve the interests of the global majority.

As for the Arab world, Russia has always aspired to build friendly relations based upon mutual respect and consideration of common interests. This fully applies to Kuwait. Our first bilateral contacts date back to the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when Russian warships began visiting Kuwait during the rule of the legendary Emir Mubarak the Great. Diplomatic relations with the USSR were established in 1963 with Kuwait being the first of the Gulf nations on this track.

We pay due respect to the wise and consistent policy of the Kuwaiti leadership. It always stays focused on promoting national interests while striving to maintain balanced relations with the major global players. Hence, our bilateral relations have withstood the test of time and are not affected by the changing international political climate. It is important to note that during the Iraqi aggression of 1990–1991 our country firmly supported Kuwait politically and diplomatically. In those days, masterpieces of Islamic art from the Kuwaiti collections were protected in the largest Russian museum, the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, where they had been displayed just before the aggression within the framework of an exhibition exchange.

Politically, our countries maintain regular dialogue. Just in 2024, Russian and Kuwaiti foreign ministers met twice – in New York in July and in October in Moscow. More contacts are to follow. In September, the Russian city of Sochi will host the eighth regular ministerial round of the Russia-GCC Strategic Dialogue, with Kuwait currently presiding in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

In October, the first-ever Russia-Arab summit is scheduled to convene in Moscow.

Economically, our countries, being major oil producers and exporters, closely cooperate within the OPEC+ format to maintain stability in the global oil markets. There are shared interests in other areas. For instance, shipments of high-quality Russian agricultural products to Kuwait are growing year after year.

Tourism has recently become another important area of bilateral cooperation. Nowadays, Russia is one of the most popular new destinations for GCC tourists. In 2024, fifteen thousand Kuwaitis visited our country, double the figure of the previous year. They are attracted by Russia’s rich cultural and historical heritage, picturesque nature, well-developed infrastructure, safety and security, and simplicity of obtaining electronic entry visas. Easy transport access plays an important role as well. In addition to existing direct Jazeera Airways flights from Kuwait City to Moscow, a new route to Sochi—a famous Russian resort on the Black Sea — will be added this month.

Cultural ties complement existing cooperation in the tourism and humanitarian fields. Last September Kuwaiti Culture Week in Moscow was held successfully.

This autumn, Kuwait City will host a reciprocal Russian event.

Vladimir Zheltov

Ambassador of Russia to Kuwait