Riyadh gathering labeled 'first of its kind since after Cold War' by expert
According to Valdai Club expert Dmitry Suslov, the US has acknowledged Russia’s “interests and concerns” for the first time in four decades. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The recent meeting between Russia and the US in Saudi Arabia signals a significant shift in Washington's approach to Moscow, according to Dmitry Suslov, an analyst from the Valdai Club.
On Tuesday, high-ranking Russian and American delegations convened in Riyadh to discuss restoring diplomatic relations, paving the way for a potential summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, and advancing discussions on the Ukraine conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who headed the Russian delegation, reported that both sides worked "quite successfully" on enhancing relations, emphasizing that they “not only listened but also heard each other.”
Suslov highlighted that the US's recognition of Russia's “interests and concerns” is a pivotal development, marking the first acknowledgment of this kind in over four decades.
“This is the first full-fledged and official high-level US-Russian meeting in three years and the first meeting in more than 40 years in which the United States has had a discussion, a dialogue that recognizes Russian interests and addresses Russian concerns,” he explained.
Suslov noted that this represents a transformation in US policy towards Russia, affecting not only recent years but the entirety of the post-Cold War era. He is also the deputy director of World Economy and International Politics at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics and a Valdai Club expert.
Additionally, Suslov pointed to a statement from Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which caught his attention. Dmitriev commented to CNN that US businesses incurred losses exceeding $300 billion by exiting the Russian market due to sanctions related to Ukraine. When asked by CNN's Matthew Chance about Russia's hopes for negotiating the lifting of sanctions, Dmitriev remarked that these restrictions were “not that important.”
Suslov suggested that Russia may have found a critical factor that could resonate with the "pragmatically oriented" Trump administration: “money, resources.” He argued that financial factors, particularly the implications for profit and loss, play a crucial role in Trump’s decision-making processes.
“If the US wants to minimize the losses and start making profit again on the Russian market, then it’s in the interests of the US to lift the restrictions,” he asserted.
The Valdai Discussion Club, which Suslov is associated with, is a Moscow-based think tank established in 2004, aimed at facilitating discussions on Russia’s role in global affairs. Named after Lake Valdai, where its inaugural meeting took place, the club frequently hosts significant dialogues attended by Russian leaders, including President Putin.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
On Tuesday, high-ranking Russian and American delegations convened in Riyadh to discuss restoring diplomatic relations, paving the way for a potential summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, and advancing discussions on the Ukraine conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who headed the Russian delegation, reported that both sides worked "quite successfully" on enhancing relations, emphasizing that they “not only listened but also heard each other.”
Suslov highlighted that the US's recognition of Russia's “interests and concerns” is a pivotal development, marking the first acknowledgment of this kind in over four decades.
“This is the first full-fledged and official high-level US-Russian meeting in three years and the first meeting in more than 40 years in which the United States has had a discussion, a dialogue that recognizes Russian interests and addresses Russian concerns,” he explained.
Suslov noted that this represents a transformation in US policy towards Russia, affecting not only recent years but the entirety of the post-Cold War era. He is also the deputy director of World Economy and International Politics at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics and a Valdai Club expert.
Additionally, Suslov pointed to a statement from Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which caught his attention. Dmitriev commented to CNN that US businesses incurred losses exceeding $300 billion by exiting the Russian market due to sanctions related to Ukraine. When asked by CNN's Matthew Chance about Russia's hopes for negotiating the lifting of sanctions, Dmitriev remarked that these restrictions were “not that important.”
Suslov suggested that Russia may have found a critical factor that could resonate with the "pragmatically oriented" Trump administration: “money, resources.” He argued that financial factors, particularly the implications for profit and loss, play a crucial role in Trump’s decision-making processes.
“If the US wants to minimize the losses and start making profit again on the Russian market, then it’s in the interests of the US to lift the restrictions,” he asserted.
The Valdai Discussion Club, which Suslov is associated with, is a Moscow-based think tank established in 2004, aimed at facilitating discussions on Russia’s role in global affairs. Named after Lake Valdai, where its inaugural meeting took place, the club frequently hosts significant dialogues attended by Russian leaders, including President Putin.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
