BEIJING, April 15. /TASS/. The administration of current US President Donald Trump is maintaining, strengthening, and expanding the sanctions imposed on Russia by the previous administration of Joe Biden, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said following an official visit to China.
"The sanctions introduced by the previous US administration are being maintained, strengthened, and expanded by the new administration," he said.
The Russian top diplomat noted that the essence of these sanctions is reflected in the "ongoing discrimination against Russian companies in global energy markets," which began even before the start of the special military operation.
Lavrov added that "the principles of free competition, presumption of innocence, the inviolability of property and much more have now been cast aside" amid the direct consequences of what he described as "aggressive US military policy and military actions."
As an example, the minister recalled how the United States, under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, took control of Venezuela’s oil resources. "The same was planned by the United States with regard to Iran," he said. "Trump has repeatedly stated that he is ready to take Iranian oil or, at a minimum, to reach an agreement with Iran to jointly manage its oil," Lavrov added.