Lavrov: Brief Rubio Talks at G20 Yield No ‘Real Progress’
Speaking at a news conference, Lavrov said the two diplomats covered bilateral relations and cooperation in multilateral bodies, among them the UN, the G20 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
He welcomed Washington’s readiness to keep channels open with Moscow at multiple levels. Russia and the United States, he said, should advance mutually beneficial projects where their interests overlap and prevent disputes from sliding into confrontation.
On trade, Lavrov defended a diesel fuel agreement between the two countries. Moscow, he said, places no limits on selling its energy resources and would back arrangements that benefit both sides.
He conceded the deal has drawn criticism in the US Congress and warned against reading it as a turning point in relations, pointing out that US sanctions on Russia remain in force.
Lavrov also took aim at ongoing US military aid to Ukraine and the sharing of intelligence with Kyiv.
“Therefore, we do not see any real progress in practice,” he said.
On the G20 itself, Lavrov said Moscow backs the US presidency’s push to strip politics out of the group’s talks and return to its originally agreed agenda, including the impact of geopolitics on the economy, energy, food security and supply chains.
He credited Washington with allowing open debate on those subjects, calling the approach correct, though he said it was unclear how much of the discussion would make it into the final documents.
Asked about a possible meeting of the Russian, US and Chinese leaders on the sidelines of the upcoming APEC summit in China, Lavrov said all three capitals view the idea favorably. He added that China, as host, is managing the logistics.
The Atlanta meeting, hosted by Rubio, gathers top diplomats from the world’s leading economies to address global economic challenges, geopolitical tensions, energy and food security, freedom of navigation and supply chain resilience.
It is unfolding against a backdrop of international conflicts, including the war in Ukraine and tensions involving Iran, which continue to fuel concerns over regional stability and the global economy.
The gathering is the last ministerial-level session under the US G20 presidency before a leaders’ summit set for Dec. 14-15 in Miami.
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