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MOSCOW (AP) – Russia’s prime diplomat mentioned Wednesday that relations with the US at the moment are even worse than through the Chilly Battle instances due to a scarcity of mutual respect.
Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov mentioned that Moscow stands able to normalize ties with Washington, however warned that the U.S. ought to cease posturing like a “sovereign” rallying its allies towards Russia and China.
He warned that if the U.S. shuns a mutually respectful dialogue on the idea of a steadiness of pursuits, “we might dwell in circumstances of a ‘Chilly Battle’ or worse.”
“In the course of the Chilly Battle, the tensions have been flying excessive and dangerous disaster conditions usually emerged, however there was additionally a mutual respect,” Lavrov mentioned in an interview with the Russian state tv. “It appears to me there’s a deficit of it now.”
Earlier this month, the Biden administration slapped Russia with sanctions for interfering within the 2020 U.S. presidential election and for involvement within the SolarWind hack of federal companies – actions Moscow has denied.
The U.S. ordered 10 Russian diplomats expelled, focused dozens of corporations and other people and imposed new curbs on Russia’s capability to borrow cash. Russia rapidly retaliated by ordering 10 U.S. diplomats to go away, blacklisting eight present and former U.S. officers and tightening necessities for the U.S. Embassy operations.
Whereas ordering the sanctions, Biden additionally referred to as for de-escalating tensions and held the door open for cooperation with Russia in sure areas.
Talking in an interview with Russian state tv, Lavrov famous that Moscow has had a “optimistic” angle to U.S. President Joe Biden’s proposal to carry a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, however added that Russia nonetheless wants to research all features of the initiative.
Lavrov mentioned he would attend a gathering of prime diplomats of the Arctic nations in Iceland set for subsequent month and can be prepared to fulfill with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken if he additionally joins the assembly.
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