Russian Foreign Minister's Special Envoy to Lebanon, Vladimir Safronkov, is currently on tour in Lebanon, where he met several officials.

He notably met caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati at the Grand Serail. The meeting was attended by the Chargé d'Affaires of the Russian Embassy in Lebanon, Maxim Romanov, and the Russian Prime Minister's Diplomatic Advisor Ambassador Boutros Assaker, the state-run National News Agency reported.

During the meeting, discussions focused on the situation in southern Lebanon, Gaza, and the stalled peace process, according to the NNA.

The Russian envoy emphasized the "need for all parties to exercise restraint in preparation for reviving the peace process." He noted that his visit to Lebanon is part of a broader tour of the region.

Safronkov also visited Parliamentary Speaker Nabih Berri in his residency in Ain al-Tineh according to Berri's office. 

Southern Lebanon, especially the border areas have been in a state of war as Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging daily attacks since early October. 

In March, Yeghia Tashjian, coordinator of the International Affairs Department at the Issam Fares Institute had told L'Orient-Le Jour that even if Russia's “soft power” is making headway in Lebanon, Russian interests in Lebanon remain limited. “With the freezing of the conflict in Syria and the war in Ukraine, Lebanon has taken a back seat for Russia,” added the researcher. Russia fears the extension of the war to Lebanon, as this would have a negative impact on stability in Syria.”