Dominican and Russian Foreign Ministers hold meeting today

Santo Domingo.- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is set to meet with his Dominican counterpart, Roberto Álvarez, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday morning as part of his official visit to the Dominican Republic—the first ever by a top Russian diplomat to the country.

Lavrov arrived late Tuesday night at Las Américas International Airport after attending the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in Brazil. His visit coincides with the opening of the Russian Embassy in Santo Domingo and includes a scheduled courtesy meeting with President Luis Abinader. According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, the agenda covers political dialogue, trade and investment, tourism, and regional and global issues—though specifics have not been released. Analysts suggest the crisis in Haiti may also be discussed, given Russia’s role on the UN Security Council.

Before the war in Ukraine, Russian tourism to the Dominican Republic was substantial, with over 180,000 visitors recorded in 2021. However, travel restrictions caused a sharp decline of nearly 38% that same year.