On February 5, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gave an exclusive interview with RT on the occasion of the Diplomat's Day.
Here, the head of Russian diplomacy expressed deep disappointment with the incomprehensible and contradictory actions from the US in recent times.
The focus of criticism is the latest sanctions decision that the US aimed at Russia's two energy "giants" Lukoil and Rosneft.
Mr. Lavrov emphasized that the old sanctions are still in effect. Not only were they not lifted as expected, but the US also launched new extremely harsh attacks.
It is worth mentioning that the timing of this decision, when it only took place a few weeks after the high-level meeting in Anchorage (Alaska, USA), where the two sides had exchanges that were considered very positive.
The Russian Foreign Minister revealed an important detail: Even President Vladimir Putin was surprised by this move by the White House.
The surprise of the Russian leadership stemmed from the goodwill atmosphere at the negotiating table earlier. Mr. Lavrov recounted that the two sides parted ways in Anchorage in high consensus.
At that time, Russia expressed its support for the US proposals to resolve the prolonged crisis in Ukraine. Moscow believes that a peaceful roadmap is opening up.
After that meeting, we waited for official confirmation from the US side. We think that, because you have agreed with our proposal, let's announce something specific," Lavrov shared.
The Russian side had expected to convene an international conference, sign a peace document or establish a joint peace council. These are reasonable steps according to normal diplomatic logic after a successful negotiation.
However, instead of handshakes or cooperation documents, the answer from Washington is economic sanctions.
The US direct targeting Lukoil and Rosneft - two financial pillars of the Russian economy - is seen as a serious escalation of tensions.
Observers believe that this move not only causes economic damage but also erodes strategic trust between the two superpowers.
Mr. Lavrov's statement shows Moscow's skepticism about the consistency of US foreign policy. These actions, completely contrary to the spirit of dialogue, are threatening to push diplomatic efforts into a dead end, despite the optimistic signals just sprouting in Alaska.
