Russia’s Foreign Minister Makes Historic Visit to Dominican Republic

News Americas, New York, NY, April 30, 2025: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made history this week as he arrived in the Dominican Republic for the first official visit by a top Russian diplomat, signaling a deepening of diplomatic and strategic ties between Moscow and Santo Domingo.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived at the Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on April 29, 2025. (Photo by EDDY VITTINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Lavrov landed at Las Américas International Airport at 10:10 p.m. on Tuesday and was welcomed by Russia’s designated ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Alexey Seredin, alongside Dominican Ambassador to Russia, Alexander Arias. The visit follows Lavrov’s participation in the BRICS foreign ministers’ summit in Brazil.

This morning, April 30, 2025, Lavrov held a closed-door bilateral meeting with Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX) in Santo Domingo.

According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, the discussions will center on strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors, including political dialogue, trade, economic and investment initiatives, tourism, cultural and humanitarian exchanges, and legal framework development. The ministers will also exchange views on current global and regional challenges, with analysts noting the ongoing crisis in neighboring Haiti may be included given Russia’s permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

“The Dominican Republic is a promising partner in Latin America and the Caribbean,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “We highly value our traditionally friendly ties based on the principles of mutual respect and constructive dialogue.”

The visit coincides with the inauguration of the Russian Embassy in Santo Domingo—a significant step forward in deepening Russia-Dominican Republic relations. Ambassador-Designate Alexey Seredin formally assumed duties on April 14, 2025, after presenting his credentials to Foreign Minister Álvarez.

Tourism continues to be a cornerstone of bilateral cooperation. Following the 2020 implementation of a mutual visa-free travel agreement, the Dominican Republic quickly became a favored destination for Russian tourists. In 2021, over 166,000 Russians visited the Caribbean nation, placing it among the top 20 destinations for Russian travelers, despite a nearly 38% drop due to global travel restrictions.

The partnership also includes educational collaboration. Each year, the Russian government awards scholarships to Dominican students to study at Russian universities, with a quota of 15 scholarships set for the 2024–2025 academic year. Today, more than 3,200 Dominicans are graduates of Soviet and Russian universities.

Moscow and Santo Domingo also collaborate on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations. The Dominican Republic supported several Russian-led resolutions during the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly, including measures against the glorification of Nazism, advocating for a weapons-free outer space, and commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Additionally, the Dominican delegation backed the resolution titled “Eradication of colonialism in all its forms and manifestations.”