Russia has reaffirmed its support for international efforts to advance a political settlement to the Western Sahara dispute, following the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2797 on October 31.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin held a telephone conversation with the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Western Sahara, Staffan de Mistura, to discuss ways of pushing forward the UN-led peace process after the latest Security Council decision.
According to the statement, Moscow reiterated its backing for the UN’s leading role in achieving a mutually acceptable political solution to the dispute, in line with relevant Security Council resolutions and procedures consistent with the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, including the right to self-determination.
The Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 on October 31, 2025, calling on the parties concerned—Morocco, Algeria, the Polisario Front, and Mauritania—to engage in negotiations aimed at reaching a political settlement based on Morocco’s Autonomy Plan.
The resolution received 11 votes in favor, while China, Russia, and Pakistan abstained. Algeria, notably, did not participate in the vote. The resolution was officially adopted, marking a significant step forward in steering the political process toward Morocco’s autonomy proposal.
Drafted by the United States as the “penholder” on the Western Sahara file, the resolution faced attempts by Algeria to alter its wording and remove references to the autonomy plan, but those efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Despite expressing reservations about the language of the text, Russia chose not to exercise its veto power.
Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita revealed in a recent interview with 2M TV that King Mohammed VI personally intervened in the hours leading up to the vote, reaching out to several world leaders to ensure the resolution’s adoption without the use of a veto.
Observers of the Western Sahara issue described Resolution 2797 as a “turning point” that could pave the way for a lasting settlement under Morocco’s sovereignty, particularly as the Autonomy Plan continues to gain international support.
Analysts note that a growing number of states, including many considered “friends of the Sahara,” have recognized the impracticality of the Polisario Front’s separatist claims, increasingly viewing Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most credible, realistic, and sustainable solution to the long-standing dispute.
