Says Washington’s “political will” is needed to “remove debris” from bilateral relations
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated on Tuesday that “a prompt improvement” in relations with the United States cannot be expected once the president-elect, Joe Biden, accedes to the White House on January 20.
“Unfortunately, we cannot expect a quick improvement or even a stabilization of relations with the United States, which are deteriorating,” Lavrov said during an interview with the Russian news agency Sputnik.
Thus, he stressed that “the rampant hysteria in the United States leaves little opportunity for a quick return to normality.” “Our dialogue has become hostage to internal political squabbles in the United States, which certainly does not contribute to the development of constructive cooperation,” he added.
In this sense, he has pointed out that the new US Administration should show political will to “clear up” bilateral relations. “It will not be easy to remove the rubble accumulated in recent years through no fault of our own, but we must strive to achieve it,” he argued.
Lavrov, however, has shown his confidence that relations between the two countries have “a potential not yet exploited” and has opted to solve the problems with “small steps”. “We are prepared for that job,” the Russian minister said.
For this reason, he has emphasized the need for Biden to bet on a dialogue with Moscow. “We hope that the new White House team will make a decision that meets the interests of the American people and shows a reciprocal desire to maintain dialogue with Moscow,” he stressed.
The Kremlin already pointed out on December 13 that it does not expect positive changes in its relations with Washington with the arrival of Biden to the White House, arguing that Moscow is not focused so much on the person who will occupy the position of president of the United States, but ” in bilateral exchanges in global affairs. “
Lavrov has also criticized “the unwillingness” of several Western countries, “with the United States at the forefront”, to establish constructive cooperation regarding the coronavirus pandemic. “Unfortunately, common problems such as the COVID-19 epidemic have not yet managed to unite the international community,” he valued.
“Western partners have actively used all sorts of illegitimate tools, from pressure with force to information wars,” he denounced, while criticizing the “ignorance” of the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, to “open ‘green corridors’ in international trade, free from trade wars and sanctions.”
