RIA quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov on Saturday saying he was not
aware of any US intent to sign commercial agreements with Moscow before the end
of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in response to a New York Times report that the
White House is considering such deals prior to Russia halting military
operations in Ukraine. He said receiving such a signal would be surprising given
public US messaging that a settlement on Ukraine should come first, and that the
same sequencing applies to economic matters and projects.
