Russia Urges U.S. to Consider Sanctions Relief for Aeroflot Amid Diplomatic Talks

Russian officials have requested that Washington lift the sanctions imposed on its leading airline, Aeroflot, to enable the resumption of direct flights to the United States, but so far, there has been no response, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday.

“We made this proposal during our meeting in [Saudi Arabia] over a month ago,” Lavrov informed reporters in Kazakhstan. “The Americans have considered it, but as yet, we have not received any reply.”

Following Lavrov’s remarks, Aeroflot’s shares on the Moscow Stock Exchange (MOEX) rose as much as 4%.

After Western nations closed their airspace to Russian aircraft in response to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Aeroflot lost access to many of its most lucrative routes. Additionally, sanctions have led aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus to stop supplying replacement parts, impacting 95% of Aeroflot’s fleet.

Last month, the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia called for lifting sanctions on the Russian aviation sector as a “humanitarian necessity,” amidst reports that the White House had compiled a list of entities and individuals that might be eligible for sanctions relief.

The Kremlin has stated that relief from sanctions is a prerequisite for restoring normal relations between the U.S. and Russia.

On Friday, Lavrov also noted that “some progress” might have been made during the U.S.-Russia talks in Istanbul on Thursday, which were aimed at normalizing the workings of their diplomatic missions. He mentioned that he had not yet received a briefing about that meeting.

The U.S. State Department and Russia’s Ambassador to Washington, Alexander Darchiyev, indicated that the two sides “exchanged notes to finalize an understanding that would ensure the stability of diplomatic banking for Russian and U.S. bilateral missions.”

However, political analyst Vladimir Frolov remarked on X that the second round of talks held in Istanbul did not seem to yield advancements on the restoration of direct air travel.

During his press conference on Friday, Lavrov cautioned against overestimating the progress achieved thus far in the recent U.S.-Russia discussions, as well as the potential for improvement in relations with Washington.

“I think we should avoid overly optimistic views [about the interactions between Russia and the U.S.]. However, striving for normalization grounded in mutual recognition and respect for each country’s national interests is entirely feasible and essential,” the foreign minister stated.