Speaking to the press on Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to continue observing the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty is “clear, straightforward, and without hidden intentions.” He said Russia would maintain voluntary limitations as long as the US takes corresponding steps. However, so far, Washington has not provided any official response.

Regarding the Ukraine issue, Lavrov criticized some European countries for attempting to persuade the US to abandon political and diplomatic solutions to the conflict in favor of increasing sanctions against Russia. He reaffirmed that Moscow will not make concessions on matters of principle, particularly concerning regions that have held referendums.

As for Russia-US relations, Lavrov noted that bilateral ties still face numerous challenges as a result of previous US administrations. He added that under President Donald Trump’s new administration, Russia has observed a willingness to resume dialogue, though the process will take time and is unlikely to proceed as swiftly as expected.