Ahead of a crucial UN Security Council vote scheduled for the end of October, Russia has expressed its support for extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The stance was confirmed during a meeting in Moscow on Friday, October 9, between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov and the Algerian Ambassador, Toufik Djouama. According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, both parties discussed cooperation within the UN, with a specific focus on the Western Sahara dispute. Moscow emphasized the need to preserve the current UN presence on the ground to ensure stability until a settlement is reached, advocating for a fair and sustainable solution aligned with Security Council resolutions. This position directly challenges Morocco's efforts to prevent the renewal of the mission's mandate, which preserves the commitment to the Sahrawi people's right to self-determination through a referendum.