Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday that the relations between Russia and the United States "extremely deteriorated" under the Biden administration to the point that they are now "on the verge of breakdown." He commended the efforts of US President Donald Trump to establish direct communication, stating that his return to power "seriously changes the political landscape." However, he warned Russia is not expecting significant progress in bilateral relations as Trump "surpassed" his predecessor in imposing sanctions.

Turning to the war in Ukraine, Lavrov said Moscow does not see concrete actions from the Ukrainian government and its Western allies that would indicate readiness for peace negotiations. He also accused NATO of leading a "hypocritical and provocative" policy, which escalates tensions and increases the risk of a "direct collision" with Russia.