Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted that the United States will continue to view Russia as an adversary regardless of the outcome of its upcoming presidential elections.
Speaking in an interview with aif.ru, as reported by TASS, Lavrov emphasized that “regardless of the election results, we will remain for the United States, if not an enemy, then certainly an adversary. In any case, a competitor.”
Lavrov also criticized statements by US President Joe Biden about potential nuclear arms talks with Russia, China, and North Korea, suggesting that they are intended to boost Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’s standing in the upcoming election. “This [Biden’s statements about the talks] is a desire to score electoral points for the Democratic Party candidate,” Lavrov commented.
Previously, President Biden had expressed his willingness to negotiate with Russia and other countries on nuclear arms reduction without preconditions. However, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov responded that the US is attempting to secure unilateral military advantages through such negotiations, which Russia firmly opposes.
The next presidential election in the United States is scheduled for November 5, with the outcome being closely watched for its potential impact on US-Russia relations.