MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Current relations between the United States and Russia could be better, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has said several times that he is ready to move relations between the two countries to a better position, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
“The president himself has said several times that he is open to any contacts that would provide for mutually understanding in bilateral relations and bringing Russian-American relations from its current level, which could be better,” Peskov told journalists.
Following the reunification of Crimea with Russia in March 2014 and an escalation of the Ukrainian crisis later that year, Russia's relations with the West, including the United States, deteriorated. The reunification sparked international controversy, with Kiev and a number of Western states labeling the process an "annexation."
Russia has repeatedly refuted the allegations of involvement in the Ukraine conflict and has repeatedly expressed its readiness to resume cooperative dialogue with Western partners; jointly addressing a number of urgent global issues, including counter-terrorism and a resolution to the ongoing Syrian civil war.
There is also no information of a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US presidential candidate Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
“There is no concrete information on that,” Peskov said.
Earlier, Trump announced his wishes to iron things out with Putin should he be elected US president.
“The schedule that is currently planned at the General Assembly is extremely dynamic and packed. I won’t take it upon myself to say that there would be room for other meetings other than what are planned,” Peskov added.
