“A more interested approach”: the Russian Foreign Ministry assessed relations with the United States after the talks between Putin and Trump

The talks between the presidents of Russia and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump at the G20 summit in Japan, give reason to look at the future relations of the two countries with optimism. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Ryabkov.

“I would like to note that from the Russian side, the desire to move forward in specific areas, be it marked by me or regional issues, is fully present,” RIAB Novosti quoted Ryabkov as saying.

Ryabkov stressed that a “more interested” approach to cooperation with Moscow had emerged from Washington’s side. However, the election campaign that began in the United States is unlikely to provide opportunities for the implementation of specific agreements, the deputy minister noted.

“Given the dominant anti-Russian sentiments in the elites, including on Capitol Hill, it is not necessary to expect a more favorable background for the realization of these, perhaps, other tasks that the presidents can formulate,” Ryabkov added.

Evaluating the relations between Russia and the United States as a whole, Ryabkov described them as being in a “state of grave crisis”, the way out of which is “difficult to formulate and predict.” Nevertheless, he noted the readiness of Moscow to fulfill its obligations to break the “deadlock”.

Earlier this readiness was declared by Putin on the “Results of the Week” program with Irada Zeynalova on NTV.

“We need a dialogue - please, we are ready. No need - we will wait until they mature, ”he said.

Trump will not sacrifice the rating on the eve of the elections due to relations with Russia, says Yury Rogulev, director of the Franklin Roosevelt Foundation for the Study of the United States at Moscow State University.

“Trump is exactly the same politician as any other. He will do what will contribute to his election victory, and will never do what will prevent it. If Russian-American relations interfere with him, he will never take any steps, in order to harm his campaign only for the sake of improving relations, ”he told RT.

At the same time, Rogulyov admitted that if Trump was re-elected for a second term, the American president “would have more hands” in the matter of developing bilateral relations.

“Free Yaroshenko”

Among specific measures to improve relations, “not requiring dramatic solutions,” Ryabkov suggested exchanging the Russian punishment for Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko serving US citizenship and returning diplomatic property to the Russian Federation.

“I can cite many areas where, in our opinion, it is possible, and we call on our American colleagues for this, starting from high-profile humanitarian cases. Release Yaroshenko, change him for an American or Americans who are serving their sentences. Return the property diplomatic, "- said the deputy minister.

At the same time, Ryabkov noted that it would be wrong to discuss the exchange of Yaroshenko for the American investor Paul Whelan, who is accused of espionage in Russia and is now under arrest - the investigation regarding him is not yet complete.

“In the context of Yaroshenko, other names were also called, Americans are aware of the options that we would be willing to consider. This was done through diplomatic correspondence and contacts, ”the deputy minister added.

• Paul Whelan in Moscow Lefortovo Court
• © Ilya Pitalyov / RIA News

Negotiations also allowed progress in the matter of trade and economic relations, Ryabkov said. So, despite the US sanctions against Russia, a significant number of US entrepreneurs are expressing interest in working on the Russian market, the deputy minister said.

“In Osaka, apparently, it turned out to be sufficiently advanced in creating a bilateral business council or advisory mechanism that will work on this agenda, I hope, including the development of recommendations to governments with a view to finding recipes that will move this boulder from its current place” - said Ryabkov.

In the United States, there is an understanding that trade with Russia is beneficial to both parties, convinced the Americanist, corresponding member of the Academy of Military Sciences Sergei Sudakov.

“Washington is well aware that it is beneficial to have normal, from the economic point of view, relations with Russia: the exchange of goods is quite small, it does not suit either of the parties, and now the United States will strive for expansion into the Russian market: automotive, electronics, high-tech industry "He said RT.

Trump also spoke about US interest in trade with Russia. On June 29, he noted that low trade between countries is “just ridiculous.”

“I think they would like to trade with the USA and they have excellent products. They have a wonderful land, they have a very rich land, a lot of oil, minerals, a lot of what interests us. I see that in trade with Russia we can achieve fantastic results, ”the president stressed.

The results of congressional elections are important for the development of relations between countries, Rogulyov said. He explained that without the approval of the parliament, the head of state in the United States cannot make foreign policy decisions.

“The situation will depend on how the congressional elections will be held, although in the Senate, most likely, the situation will not change: Republicans will retain their majority. And how it will be in the House of Representatives, and whether the difference in votes will be reduced, Trump’s policy will depend on it, ”said the expert.

Note that congressional elections will be held in January 2021, while the presidential elections will be held a few months earlier - in November 2020.

“We went through the whole list of questions”

On June 28, the second full-format meeting between Putin and Trump was held. In the course of it, the leaders discussed topical issues, both bilateral and international.

“Good meeting, very businesslike, pragmatic. We practically walked through the entire list of issues of mutual interest. This concerned, by the way, and our economic relations. It is acknowledged that they are in an unsatisfactory state, ”Putin said.

The heads of state also discussed the issue of arms control. According to the President of Russia, the heads of the foreign affairs agencies were instructed to hold consultations on the extension of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-3). It expires in 2021.

According to Ryabkov, the negotiations in Osaka created the prerequisites for a dialogue on arms limitation. At the same time, he recalled that Russia is in favor of giving multilateralism status to such agreements - including in addition to Moscow and Washington and other countries. For this, it is important, Ryabkov stressed, that these countries themselves make such a decision.

“Having said this, it is impossible not to say that each country makes the appropriate decisions independently, sovereignly, in accordance with its own interests in this sphere. We understand the position that the PRC, through, inter alia, the official representative of its Foreign Ministry set out. We are proceeding from this position, ”the deputy minister explained.

Speaking about the inclusion of other countries in arms control, Ryabkov allowed Britain and France to participate in it.

“The closest allies of the United States, whose nuclear potentials in the NATO’s planning for the relevant activities are considered and taken into account along with the American ones. We cannot ignore the potential of these countries if we seriously talk about putting the arms control process on a multilateral basis, ”he stressed.