November: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Thursday that Moscow remains open to engaging with the United States under President-elect Donald Trump's administration, but emphasized that the next steps depend on Washington.

Lavrov made the comments during an interview with journalist Marina Kim, as reported by Russian state media TASS. Referring to strained US-Russia relations, he said, “It was not us who interrupted communication: the ball is in the US court.”

US-Russia Relations Under Scrutiny
Lavrov underscored that Russia has no expectations from the incoming US administration, preferring to judge it by its actions. He also reiterated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has consistently expressed willingness to negotiate, including regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The remarks come amidst reports—denied by the Kremlin—that Trump and Putin recently held a phone call discussing Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed these as “pure fiction.”

US Focus on China and Russia
Lavrov predicted that containing China would remain a top priority for the US, while Washington continues to view Russia as a “present-day threat.” According to him, the US aims to diminish Russia's influence and maintain its global dominance.

"The Americans declared long ago that there should be no country in the world more influential than the United States," Lavrov remarked, accusing Washington of prioritizing its reputation over the welfare of the Ukrainian people.

Ukraine and Special Envoy
Addressing the conflict in Ukraine, Lavrov claimed that the US has not acknowledged the cultural and linguistic rights of Russian-speaking Ukrainians. While reiterating Russia’s openness to negotiations, he pointed out the lack of concrete proposals from Washington or its allies.

Meanwhile, Fox News reported that Trump plans to appoint a senior special envoy to pursue a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, though the role is expected to be voluntary.

Outlook on US Policy
Russia remains skeptical of any significant shift in US policy under Trump, given the bipartisan consensus in Washington on confronting Moscow. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova previously stated, "If anything changes in US policy and proposals appear, we will examine them in terms of Russia’s interests."

Despite ongoing tensions, Lavrov concluded that Russia would “resolutely defend its interests, particularly regarding national security.”