Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov broke his media silence after the failed organization of the Budapest summit. Rumors arose that Lavrov had fallen out of favor within Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle, which was denied last Friday by Moscow

In an interview with Russian media outlet RIA Novosti Lavrov revealed that he remains in direct contact with the US Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio and stands ready for an in-person meeting whenever circumstances require.

In the interview Lavrov stated that he is awaiting a substantial response from the US on Russia’s proposal to extend the New START, a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and the Russian Federation. Lavrov also said that Russia is awaiting confirmation from the United States that the Anchorage agreements remain in effect. These agreements were made in August at the Alaska summit where Putin and Trump met in person.

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On the war between Russia and Ukraine, Lavrov declared: “Ending the conflict is impossible without taking Russia’s legitimate interests into account and fully eradicating its root causes.” He reaffirmed that, according to Russia’s longstanding position, Crimea is an integral part of the Russian Federation. Lavrov stated that the European Union’s plans to seize frozen Russian assets in order to provide financial assistance to Ukraine are fundamentally illegal.

Moscow, St. Petersburg Limit Fuel Sales After Ukrainian Refinery Strikes
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Moscow, St. Petersburg Limit Fuel Sales After Ukrainian Refinery Strikes

Several Russian fuel retailers introduced limits on gasoline and diesel sales in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Tatarstan on Sunday following Ukrainian drone strikes on oil infrastructure. The restrictions come after attacks on refineries in Tatarstan, while regional authorities insist there is no fuel shortage.
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