Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said financial gains would shape Moscow’s response to U.S. proposals ahead of a planned American envoy visit to Russia, while ruling out political concessions.
Speaking Oct. 20 to graduates who had recently joined Russia’s diplomatic service, Lavrov said Moscow would examine proposals from U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He cautioned that a future U.S. administration could change Washington’s approach, making political goodwill an unreliable basis for cooperation.
President Donald Trump’s Oct. 16 order waived new Russia-related sanctions and tariffs under the Graham Act but left earlier Russia sanctions in place. Lavrov said Trump had retained broad tariffs as an option. He argued that Washington wanted Russian diesel supplies to continue because it feared disruption to global energy markets before U.S. elections; the White House order cited national interests without giving that explanation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said ideas discussed in Oslo included a possible meeting of U.S., Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow hoped the U.S. envoys would brief Russian President Vladimir Putin on their talks with Ukrainian and European officials. Zelenskyy said Witkoff planned to travel to Russia on Oct. 21.
