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TRADE RELATIONS BETWEEN RUSSIA, AUSTRALIA "DESTROYED", SAYS AMBASSADOR

08/05/2026 06:42 PM

MOSCOW, May 8 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- Trade and economic relations between Russia and Australia have been effectively destroyed, with trade turnover amounting to only US$3.7 million in 2025, Russian Ambassador to Australia Mikhail Petrakov said in an interview with RIA Novosti.

"Bilateral trade and economic relations have been effectively destroyed. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Russian- Australian trade in 2025 amounted to only US$3.7 million," Petrakov said.

In 2021, trade between the two countries exceeded US$800 million, the ambassador noted.

Almost all bilateral contacts between Russia and Australia have been frozen at Canberra's initiative, he added.

"Currently, almost all bilateral contacts have been frozen at the initiative of the Australian side, which took a firm anti-Russian stance following the start of the special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022," Petrakov said.

--BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI

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