Overview

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the comments on Channel One’s The Great Game, calling tariff ultimatums ineffective with what he described as two ancient civilizations.
• He said ongoing contacts between Washington and both Beijing and New Delhi show the United States recognizes the limits of tariff threats.
• Lavrov argued that such demands damage economic well‑being, create serious difficulties, raise costs, and push India and China to seek new energy sources and markets.
• Addressing possible new penalties on Moscow, he said he sees no problem with additional sanctions on Russia.
• He contrasted what he called an unprecedented volume of sanctions during President Donald Trump’s first term with President Joe Biden’s period, which he said has treated sanctions as a substitute for diplomacy.