Russia open to working with any US leader

Lavrov signals readiness for dialogue and lauds Vance's stance against military assistance to Ukraine

WASHINGTON:

Russia signaled an openness on Wednesday to working with whomever the American people elect in November as the nation heads towards presidential elections.

It also lauded Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance's opposition to further military assistance for Ukraine.

"We will remain ready to work with any US leader who the US people elect, and which the leader will be willing to engage in equitable, mutually respectful dialogue," Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in remarks translated from Russian at the UN's New York headquarters.

Russia currently holds the UN Security Council presidency and Lavrov is in the city to chair a pair of Council meetings.

Lavrov further voiced approval to reporters for Vance's opposition to Ukraine aid, saying he is "in favour of peace, in favor of ending the assistance that's been provided, and we can only welcome that, because that's what we need, to stop pumping Ukraine full of weapons, and then the war will end."

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump announced Vance as his running mate on Monday in a long-awaited announcement that has further raised concerns in Europe about the continuation of American support for Ukraine if the former president secures reelection.

During last week's NATO summit in Washington, allies announced plans to form a new command at a headquarters in Germany led by a three-star general with logistics hubs in eastern flank nations to facilitate the alliance's continued military assistance to Kyiv.

The action to bring the mission under NATO's auspices is being taken in part to insulate the process from potential disruptions that could be caused by Trump's reelection.