US State Secretary makes statement on talks with Russia after Trump's sanctions
Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Getty Images)
The United States still wants to meet with Russia, although President Donald Trump's administration has imposed sanctions on two of Russia's largest oil companies, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says.
According to Rubio, he had a good conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and plans to continue the discussion.
"We’d still like to meet with the Russians … I had a good call with foreign minister Lavrov and we’ll follow up on that. We’re always going to be interested in engaging if there’s an opportunity to achieve peace," the Secretary of State says.
Rubio also recalls that President Donald Trump had been emphasizing for several months the need for action if progress on a peace agreement was not achieved.
"Today was the day he decided to do something," Rubio adds, explaining the imposition of sanctions against leading Russian oil companies and the demand that Russia immediately agree to cease hostilities.
Yesterday, President Donald Trump imposed sanctions against two of Russia's largest oil companies.
As explained by the US Treasury Department, the new sanctions against Russia were imposed to force Putin to engage in serious negotiations to end the war against Ukraine.
Trump also canceled an expected meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, which was planned to be held in Budapest, Hungary. The American leader said he decided not to hold talks with Putin because he believed he would not be able to achieve the desired result.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has already called the US sanctions and the cancellation of the summit with Putin an act of war against Russia.
