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2026-02-19 06:07:14
[Russian Foreign Minister: Russia and the US Agree to Establish Bilateral Economic Working Group to Discuss Trade and Economic Issues Separately] The Russian Foreign Ministry released a transcript of an interview with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the 18th. In the interview, Lavrov stated that Russia and the US have agreed to establish a bilateral economic working group to discuss trade and economic issues separately from the Geneva military-political negotiations. Russia hopes to understand the Trump administration's specific definition of "mutually beneficial cooperation." Previously, weeks after the Anchorage meeting, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Lukoil and Rosneft, demanded that India stop buying Russian oil, and allowed Venezuela's oil industry to resume operations but prohibited Russia and other countries from participating. Lavrov stated, "If the Americans are sincerely saying that mutually beneficial cooperation will begin after resolving the Ukraine issue, then they are currently trying to squeeze us out of the world energy market." (CCTV)
