The Foreign Ministry explained Russia's withdrawal from the Ramsar Convention on wetlands

Brief retelling from RIA II

Russia's withdrawal from the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in December 2025 is due to the fact that the West tried to use it to put pressure on Moscow against the backdrop of a special operation in Ukraine.

Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Alimov emphasized that withdrawal from the convention will not prevent Russia from ensuring the protection and sustainable use of wetlands.

MOSCOW, October 8 - RIA Novosti. Russia withdrew from the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in December 2025 because the West tried to use it to put pressure on Moscow against the background of a special operation in Ukraine, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Alimov told RIA Novosti.

The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat was adopted in Ramsar, Iran in 1971. It implies a commitment to contribute to the protection of such lands and birds. A number of wetlands, which according to the convention were assigned to Ukraine, are located on Russian territory after the referendums of 2014 and 2022. Russia ceased to be a party to the convention on December 21, 2025.

“Western states tried to actively use this international legal instrument to put pressure on the Russian Federation in connection with the conduct of the SVO in Ukraine. 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 invariably encountered outright sabotage,” Alimov said, explaining Russia’s withdrawal from the convention.