(MENAFN) Several states that Russia classifies as “unfriendly” have discreetly submitted ideas for strengthening economic collaboration during the G20 Summit, according to Kremlin adviser Maksim Oreshkin, who headed the Russian delegation and spoke with reporters on Sunday.

The gathering, hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa, over the weekend, convened representatives from the world’s twenty largest economies.

Oreshkin noted during a press briefing that “a number of countries we consider unfriendly have approached us with specific proposals for cooperation – on how to improve economic relations with Russia and implement joint projects.”

He emphasized that he would refrain from identifying which nations made these overtures “lest their colleagues be offended later.”

The Kremlin aide—who previously held the post of Russia’s minister of economic development—explained that productive and pragmatic exchanges occurred with multiple states.

Following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, many Western governments curtailed or fully halted economic ties with Moscow, imposing extensive sanctions.

Russian officials maintain that the country has adapted to these measures and has even become more robust as a result.

In that same year, Russia officially labeled numerous Western nations as “unfriendly states,” accusing them of undertaking antagonistic actions against Russian citizens and businesses.

This classification enables Moscow to impose diplomatic restrictions and enforce heightened oversight along with special approval processes for companies originating from those states.

Nonetheless, Russian authorities have since clarified that they view only the governments—rather than the nations themselves—as “unfriendly.”

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