Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claims that Moscow agreed with the US proposal on Ukraine at the Anchorage summit last year, but that since then the Trump administration has changed course, imposing new sanctions and acting to restrict Russia’s energy exports, reports the Ukrainian press and international news agencies.
In an interview given to the BRICS television station, Lavrov stated that the United States is showing signs that it is not willing to carry out the plan discussed during the meeting in Alaska between Russian President Vladimir Putin and American President Donald Trump.
“They tell us that we need to solve the Ukrainian problem. Well, in Anchorage, we accepted the US proposal. So, if we approach things like men, they made the proposal, we agreed and the problem needs to be solved”, he added.
According to Lavrov, the US position was essential for Russia during the negotiations.
“It doesn’t matter what is said in Ukraine or in Europe; we clearly see the Russophobia of the majority of regimes in the European Union, with rare exceptions. The position of the United States was important to us.”
“We accepted the US proposal”, he said, adding that Russia appreciates that this could pave the way for “a wide-scale, mutually beneficial cooperation”.
In return, Lavrov claimed, Washington imposed new sanctions, supported what he described as actions against Russian oil tankers in the open sea, and tried to prevent India and other partners from buying Russian energy.
“So, they proposed something about Ukraine, we were ready – and now they are not. In addition, we do not see any bright future in the economic field”, Lavrov added.
“Russia remains open to cooperation with the US, but does not hold out much hope for economic relations, despite Washington’s ongoing efforts to end the war in Ukraine”, the Russian foreign minister said, quoted by Reuters.
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