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Russia-US Dialog on Bilateral Issues Ongoing, Though Not as Quickly as Desirable - Lavrov

Sputnik News

20251109

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The dialogue between Russia and the United States on bilateral issues is underway, but not as fast as one would like, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Sputnik in an interview published on Sunday.

"There are many irritants in Russian-US relations, which we inherited from the previous US administration. It will take a long time to remove the obstacles. With the arrival of the new administration, we sensed its willingness to resume dialogue. It is ongoing, but not as quickly as we would like," Lavrov said.

There were two rounds of talks in the spring, where a number of agreements were reached to improve the operating conditions of diplomatic missions, the minister also said.

"For our part, we believe it is important not to limit this dialogue to diplomatic issues alone. It is crucial to move on to issues such as establishing direct air links and returning Russian diplomatic property that was illegally seized from us by [then US President] Barack Obama in December 2016, three weeks before Donald Trump's first inauguration," Lavrov said.

Russia, US Discussing Possibility of Continuing Dialogue on Bilateral Irritants

Working contacts are currently underway between Russia and the United States regarding the possibility of continuing dialogue on bilateral irritants, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Sputnik.

"We are waiting. Our proposals on diplomatic property and air traffic have been conveyed to the American side. Working contacts are currently underway regarding the possibility of continuing the dialogue," Lavrov said.

Lavrov Ready for Personal Meeting With Rubio Whenever Necessary

Sergey Lavrov told Sputnik that he is ready to hold personal meetings with US State Secretary Marco Rubio when necessary, as regular communication is crucial for discussing bilateral issues and matters concerning Ukraine.

"Secretary of State Marco Rubio and I understand the need for regular communication. It is essential for discussing the Ukrainian issue and advancing the bilateral agenda. Therefore, we communicate by phone and are prepared to hold in-person meetings when necessary," Lavrov said.

Russia Not Disclosing All Details of Discussions With US on Ukraine

Russia is not disclosing all the details of its discussions with the United States on the Ukrainian issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"For obvious reasons, we do not disclose all the details of our discussions with the US side on the Ukrainian issue, although when blatant fabrications are published in the media, we naturally make appropriate comments," the minister said, responding to a question whether the US administration had announced its readiness to de jure recognize Crimea as Russian territory as part of the peace plan for Ukraine.

The Ukraine conflict cannot be resolved without addressing its root causes and taking Russian interests into account, Lavrov added.

"We believe that ending the conflict is impossible without taking Russian interests into account and eradicating its root causes," he said.

The issue of Crimea's status is closed for Moscow, the minister added.

"As for Crimea and Sevastopol, the residents of the peninsula exercised their right to self-determination in a referendum in March 2014, voting in favor of reunification with Russia," Lavrov said.

Russia Waiting for US to Confirm Relevance of Anchorage Agreements

Russia is awaiting confirmation from the United States that the agreements on Ukraine reached at the leaders' summit in Alaska remain valid, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told RIA Novosti in an interview published on Sunday.

"We are now waiting for confirmation from the US that the Anchorage agreements remain in force," he said.

The Anchorage agreements regarding Ukraine represent a compromise, but Moscow maintains a firm stance on fundamental issues, including Russia's territorial integrity, Lavrov also said.

"Despite the essentially compromising nature of these agreements, we have not renounced and do not renounce the points that are fundamental to us. The Americans understand this. No one questions the territorial integrity of Russia and the choice of the residents of Crimea, Donbas, and Novorossiya, who made fateful decisions to reunite with their historical homeland in referendums in 2014 and 2022," the minister added.

The US seems to have encountered difficulties in trying to persuade Volodymyr Zelensky not to obstruct a peaceful settlement, Lavrov said.

"Then [at the summit in Alaska], the US assured us that they would be able to ensure that Zelensky would not stand in the way of peace. Apparently, certain obstacles have arisen in this regard. Additionally, as far as we know, Brussels and London are attempting to persuade Washington to abandon its intention to resolve the crisis through political and diplomatic means and to fully engage in efforts to exert military pressure on Russia, that is, to definitively become part of the 'war party,'" he also said.

© Sputnik