Russia ready to work with any U.S. leader

UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — Russia is prepared to work with any US president who is open to dialogue, its foreign minister said Wednesday.

“We will work with any American leader, we will remain ready to work with any US leader that the US people elect, and who will be willing to engage in equitable, mutually respectful dialogue,” Sergei Lavrov said at a UN press briefing.

He was answering a question about relations between Moscow and Washington if Donald Trump is reelected in November and defeats President Joe Biden.

Trump, the Republican candidate, said in May 2023 that he could end the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours” if he returns to the White House.

Trump is regularly attacked by Democrats as being too soft on Russia. He has often spoken admiringly of President Vladimir Putin, who has been charged with war crimes over the invasion of Ukraine.

“We worked with President Trump,” Lavrov said.

He said US sanctions were repeatedly imposed on Moscow while Trump was in power. However, “at that time dialogue was under way between us and Washington at the highest levels. Right now, there is no such dialogue.”

Asked about Trump’s running mate, Senator J.D. Vance, a fierce opponent of US aid to Ukraine, Lavrov praised his position.

“He’s in favor of peace, in favor of ending the assistance that’s been provided, and we can only welcome that, because that’s what we need — to stop pumping Ukraine full of weapons and then the war will end,” he said.

Meanwhile, explosions rang out over the Ukrainian capital Kyiv late Wednesday and air raid sirens sounded, as officials urged residents to take shelter over the threat of a Russian aerial attack.