Russia Seeks Sanction Relief for Aeroflot to Reopen U.S. Flight Routes, Lavrov Reports

Russian officials have requested that Washington lift sanctions on its flagship airline, Aeroflot, to enable the resumption of direct flights to the United States, but they have yet to receive a response, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday.

«We put forth this proposal during the meeting in [Saudi Arabia] over a month ago,» Lavrov informed reporters in Kazakhstan. «The U.S. is considering it, but we have not seen any feedback so far.»

Following Lavrov’s remarks, Aeroflot’s shares on the Moscow Stock Exchange (MOEX) rose by up to 4%.

Western countries closed their airspace to Russian aircraft in response to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, resulting in a significant loss of profitable routes for Aeroflot. Additionally, sanctions have prompted aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus to stop supplying replacement parts, impacting 95% of Aeroflot’s fleet.

Last month, the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia advocated for the lifting of sanctions on the country’s aviation sector, citing it as a «humanitarian necessity,» amidst reports that the White House had compiled a list of entities and individuals that could be considered for sanctions relief.

The Kremlin has identified the easing of sanctions as essential for the restoration of normal U.S.-Russia relations.

On Friday, Lavrov mentioned that «some progress» might have been achieved during Thursday’s U.S.-Russia discussions in Istanbul, which aimed at normalizing the functions of their diplomatic missions. He noted that he had not yet received updates about that meeting.

The U.S. State Department and Russia’s Ambassador to Washington, Alexander Darchiyev, stated that both sides «exchanged notes to finalize an arrangement to ensure the stability of diplomatic banking for Russian and U.S. missions.»

However, analyst Vladimir Frolov noted on X that the second round of talks in Istanbul did not seem to yield any advancements regarding the restoration of direct air travel.

During his press briefing on Friday, Lavrov cautioned against overstating the progress achieved in recent U.S.-Russia discussions and the potential for improving relations with Washington.

«I think we should avoid being overly optimistic [about contacts between Russia and the U.S.], but striving for normalization based on mutual recognition and respect for each country’s national interests is both realistic and essential,» the foreign minister stated.