US wants Russian energy giants gone from global markets, Moscow says

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of attempting to force Russian companies out of global markets, including in Africa and the Balkans, in an interview with Russian state-controlled outlet RT India published on May 13.

"Efforts are being made to push Lukoil and Rosneft out of the global, including African, markets," Lavrov said. "The same applies to the Balkan markets, where our companies also operated."

"The goal — and no one is trying to hide it — is to make these companies leave international business altogether," he added. "They also want... to take control of the transit gas pipeline running from Russia to Europe across Ukraine in order to control these flows as well."

The U.S. imposed sanctions on Russia's two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, on Oct. 22, aiming to pressure the Kremlin into agreeing to a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The measures froze all U.S.-based assets of those companies. They also pave the way for secondary sanctions against foreign institutions that handle transactions with those on the blacklist.

The remarks come as Moscow continues to promote the prospect of large-scale economic cooperation with Washington even as negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine remain stalled.

Russia's chief diplomat accused U.S. President Donald Trump of continuing policies introduced under former President Joe Biden despite publicly distancing himself from the war.

"President Trump has repeatedly argued that Ukraine was Joe Biden's war, not his," Lavrov said. "Aside from this regular dialogue — which is normal in relations between people and countries — everything else follows the pattern initiated by President Biden."

The comments reflect growing frustration in Moscow over Washington linking economic cooperation and sanctions relief to progress in peace negotiations with Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on March 27 that tying broader U.S.-Russia economic relations to the outcome of negotiations harms both Russian and American interests.

Russian economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who has participated in talks with Trump's envoys, has repeatedly promoted the idea of major joint economic projects between Moscow and Washington.

Earlier, Dmitriev claimed that lifting sanctions could unlock more than $14 trillion worth of joint U.S.-Russia projects, including in energy, mining, and nuclear sectors.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that Ukrainian intelligence had briefed him on what he described as a roughly $12 trillion framework for potential U.S.-Russia economic cooperation.