Diplomatic tensions: Russia questions the United States over visa denials
The Kremlin has expressed its firm rejection of the decision by U.S. authorities to deny a visa to the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Alexandr Alimov. The official was scheduled to be part of the official delegation accompanying Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during his participation in the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Dmitri Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian Presidency, described this episode as an unfriendly action and stressed that the matter will be addressed directly in upcoming diplomatic contacts with Washington. According to the spokesperson, this restriction contravenes the responsibilities of the United States as the host nation of the UN headquarters.
A country that hosts the UN headquarters should not allow such actions. On the contrary, it has an obligation to ensure equitable representation of the United Nations member states.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Russian Presidency.
Negotiation agenda and the conflict in Ukraine
Despite diplomatic obstacles, the Russian delegation maintains a busy schedule of commitments. Sergey Lavrov is expected to participate in more than 30 bilateral meetings, with his scheduled meeting with his American counterpart, Marco Rubio, being particularly noteworthy.
Regarding the conflict in Ukraine, the positions of both nations remain under constant analysis:
- Foreign Minister Lavrov reiterated Russia’s readiness to initiate a new round of negotiations, asserting that there are concrete proposals on the table.
- The Russian official noted that the conflict could have ended a year ago if the agreements reached at the Alaska summit in August 2025 had been fulfilled.
- For his part, Marco Rubio has suggested that a roadmap for resuming peace dialogue could be developed in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the Donald Trump administration continues to use economic pressure as a strategic tool. Recently, a sanctions law was ratified that enables the imposition of tariffs of up to 100% on those countries that acquire Russian hydrocarbons, a measure that directly impacts markets such as China and India.
This new chapter in the relationship between Moscow and Washington comes after the last meeting between Lavrov and Rubio, held last July in Manila, which lasted for just over half an hour.
