Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Russian delegation was fully prepared for expenses in Alaska during the summit between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, and therefore had no issues paying in cash. His comments were broadcast on Rossiya 24, with a transcript published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.
“Fuel always has to be paid for. Whether in cash or otherwise makes no difference. These are expenses always borne by the country whose leadership and delegation visit another state,” Lavrov explained.
Rubio’s Claim of Sanctions Trouble
Lavrov was responding to remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told NBC News that the Russian delegation had to pay for aviation fuel in cash because sanctions made their bank cards unusable in the United States.
“They had to offer cash to refuel their planes because they cannot use our banking system,” Rubio said, adding that Russians face the consequences of sanctions “every single day.”
Alaska Summit Between Putin and Trump
On August 15, Presidents Trump and Putin met for the first time during Trump’s second term at Elmendorf-Richardson Air Base in Anchorage, Alaska. Their conversation lasted about three hours, with the main focus on resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
After the talks, both leaders gave press statements, describing the meeting positively. However, Trump noted that no final deal on Ukraine was reached.
