Trump administration has not lifted anti-Russian sanctions - Lavrov

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump not only does not contest the laws that Joe Biden "enacted to punish" Russia but is also introducing new sanctions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

According to him, despite the statements from the U.S. administration about resolving the crisis in Ukraine, negotiating it off the agenda, and thereby opening clear and promising prospects for mutually beneficial Russian-American investment and other cooperation, all the laws that Biden enacted to punish Russia following the commencement of the special military operation were not challenged by the Trump administration.

Nevertheless, according to him, the Trump administration had "the law quietly extended, sanctions against Russia continue."

"Sanctions were imposed on Lukoil and Rosneft a few weeks after the very positive Putin-Trump meeting in Anchorage," Lavrov said.

The diplomat pointed out the ongoing attempts to control crucial energy routes in Europe, such as the Nord Stream pipelines and TurkStream.

"While remaining open, just like India, China, Indonesia and Brazil, to cooperation with all countries, including a major power such as the United States, we are in a situation where the Americans themselves are creating artificial obstacles along the way," Lavrov said.