The Foreign Ministry named the reasons for Russia's withdrawal from the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Russia withdrew from the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in December last year because the West tried to use the document to put pressure on Moscow in connection with the conduct of a special military operation (SVO). Deputy head of the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Alimov spoke about this, writes RIA Novosti.

The Ramsar Convention was adopted in Iran in 1971 to protect waterfowl habitats. Some objects assigned to Ukraine after the referendums in 2014 and 2022 came under the control of Russia.

“Regular attempts to urge individual participating countries, as well as the secretariat of the Ramsar Convention, to adhere to the terms of reference of the convention have invariably been met with outright sabotage,” the diplomat explained.

According to him, in such conditions the instruments of the convention could not be used to protect wetlands in Russia. He noted that Moscow's withdrawal will not interfere with ensuring the protection and sustainable use of all such lands.