Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Moscow is prepared to resume dialogue with Western nations. However, the relations will not return to their previous format, he added, TASS reports.
“We were not the ones who severed contacts. And if our Western colleagues, including our Slovenian colleagues, wish to restore these relations, we are ready to do so,”
— Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister
No Return to Past Business
Lavrov stressed that the era of business cooperation as it once existed is over, making clear that Russia does not expect a simple return to the former model of economic engagement with Western states.
Kremlin Warns of Costly Return for Western Firms
Earlier, presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that companies from other countries are now exploring the market niches left behind by the departure of major Western corporations. He cautioned that those Western firms which exited Russia in what he described as an “improper” manner would face significant costs if they attempted to return.
The statements highlight Moscow’s dual message: openness to dialogue on political terms, but a firm stance on the changed economic reality and the consequences for companies that withdrew from Russia.
