MOSCOW, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia (AmCham Russia) on Monday, exchanging views on prospects for the resumption of trade and investment ties between the two countries, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It was a productive exchange of views on a range of current issues, with an emphasis on the constructive role that the business community can play in giving impetus to the restoration of Russia-U.S. trade and investment ties, the ministry stated.
Later, Robert Agee, president and CEO of AmCham Russia, told the media that U.S. exports to Russia rose by 15 percent in 2025, while Russian exports to the United States increased by 35 percent.
"We know that plenty of bans are in place. There are many products we would like to export but we cannot do this under the law, this interferes (with mutual trade)," Agee said.
He said the direct strike totaled about 100 billion U.S. dollars, and damage in total amounted to almost 300 billion dollars, including potential losses of specific businesses. "Yes, this is the total damage from US sanctions and from Russian countersanctions," he added.
Over the past 25 years, U.S. businesses have invested around 100 billion dollars in Russia, Agee noted. ■
