MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/. The statements made by US Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson provide hope that the administration of Donald Trump won’t attempt to pontificate to Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during his annual press conference on Tuesday.

"We understand that we deal with people who won’t be pontificating but will try to understand the interests of their partners," Lavrov said commenting on Tillerson’s statement that the US should be clear-headed about its relationship with Russia that "poses a risk but is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests."

Lavrov stressed that it’s useless to try to analyze and interpret the Senate hearing now and what matters most is the actions and positions voiced when people take office in Washington.