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Russia's Lavrov Says Time Has Come for Conversation With US About Future Economic Ties
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 18, 2026
1 min readLast updated: April 18, 2026
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At the Antalya summit on April 18, 2026, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it’s time to discuss the future of U.S.–Russia economic ties, though significant differences remain. He also remarked that NATO is “not in the best state”, while stressing Russia will not interfere in alliance affa
Lavrov: Time is Right for US-Russia Talks on Future Economic Relations
Main Developments in US-Russia Economic Relations
Lavrov's Statement at Antalya Summit
April 18 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a summit in Turkey's Antalya that the time has come for a conversation with the U.S. about how Washington sees future economic ties with Russia, but that differences remain between the two countries.
NATO Relations and Russia's Position
Lavrov also said that NATO is "not in the best state", but that Russia would not meddle in the alliance's internal affairs.
Focus on Economic Cooperation
Russia has made renewed economic cooperation with the U.S. a core part of its pitch for a diplomatic detente with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Felix Light, Editing by Louise Heavens)
Key Takeaways
- •Lavrov signals willingness to engage Washington on economic relations, amid broader thaw in dialogue (yahoo.com)
- •Trade remains heavily constrained: U.S.–Russia commerce has collapsed by ~90% since 2022, though modest imports persist (~US $3 billion) (amp.cnn.com)
- •Lavrov critiques NATO’s condition, calling it troubled, but emphasizes Russia won’t meddle in its internal dynamics (apnews.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia's Lavrov says time has come for conversation with US about future economic ties
1What did Sergei Lavrov say about US-Russia economic ties?
He said the time has come for a conversation with the US on the future of economic relations between the two countries.
2Where did Lavrov make his comments about US-Russia relations?
Lavrov made his comments at a summit in Antalya, Turkey.
3What differences remain between Russia and the US?
Lavrov acknowledged that despite the push for renewed economic cooperation, differences remain between the two countries.
4What did Lavrov say about NATO?
Lavrov stated that NATO is 'not in the best state' but affirmed that Russia would not interfere in the alliance's internal affairs.
