Russia's Lavrov: No Easing Of Ties With US

ATLANTA (US), Oct 31 (Bernama-dpa) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there has been no easing so far in relations between Russia and the United States, despite his presence at a G20 foreign ministers' meeting in the US city of Atlanta, reported German news agency (dpa).

"In practice, no real progress in relations with the US has so far been seen," he said on Friday. 

"There should be no illusions about the diesel deal," he added, referring to a US agreement with the Kremlin to temporarily lift sanctions to enable the purchase of Russian diesel fuel, with the aim of reducing prices at the pump.

Lavrov complained, however, that "the fundamental issues are not being resolved, the sanctions remain in place, all sanctions imposed by [former US President Joe] Biden are being continued by the current administration, and additional sanctions are being imposed on the oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft."

Looking ahead to planned trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia, Lavrov said the negotiating positions were clear. 

According to recent hints from the Kremlin, the delegations wanted to meet in mid-November in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, to continue talks on a possible peace settlement that have been interrupted for months.

At the same time, Lavrov harshly criticised his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, whom he accused of "family photo diplomacy."

The G20 foreign ministers cancelled the group photo of participants at the talks in Atlanta. Wadephul had said shortly before the start of the meeting that "there will be no family photo featuring our European partners together with Mr Lavrov."

"I call that family photo diplomacy," Lavrov said. "If what matters most to them is how they look in a family photo and who stands next to them, then that says it all."

--BERNAMA-dpa