Russia has sharply criticized international mediation efforts to end the war in Sudan, accusing two key diplomatic blocs of failing to make headway.
Moscow’s envoy to the United Nations Security Council, Vasily Nebenzia, said the so-called Quintet and Quartet groupings have both hit a wall.
The Quintet includes the United Nations, the European Union, the African Union, the Arab League and the East African bloc IGAD.
The Quartet groups the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in a separate track on Sudan.
Nebenzia told the Security Council that neither format had achieved tangible progress toward ending the conflict.
He said the outcome was foreseeable, arguing the Quartet’s approach had relied on pressure rather than diplomacy.
Its efforts, he said, amounted to blackmail and arm-twisting meant to force Khartoum into unacceptable concessions.
Russia continues to insist that any credible mediation must operate under the umbrella of the United Nations.
Such efforts, Nebenzia said, should deliver a clear and constructive message to Sudan’s government, not coercion.
His remarks add to a chorus of frustration at the Security Council over the stalled search for peace in Sudan.
The war, now well into its third year, has killed thousands and displaced millions across the country.
Rival mediation tracks have multiplied since fighting erupted, yet a lasting ceasefire has remained elusive.
Russia’s comments underscore deepening divisions among world powers over how to end Africa’s largest displacement crisis.
They also reflect Moscow’s broader push to position the United Nations, where it holds veto power, as the central venue for Sudan diplomacy.
No immediate response came from Washington, Riyadh, Cairo or Abu Dhabi to Nebenzia’s remarks.
The Security Council is expected to continue discussions on Sudan in the coming days.
