ULAN BATOR (Sputnik) – US Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest visit to Moscow proves that the United States needs Russia’s support in resolving international issues, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday.
“The West is gradually understanding that isolating Russia is impossible. This was confirmed by the recent visit of my colleague, Secretary of State John Kerry, to Moscow, which is yet more proof of the need of the Americans in our support on key international issues, and the need to create joint work on hot regional issues,” Lavrov said while delivering a speech at the Mongolian Foreign Ministry.
The top diplomat added that Russian was offering its US partners to build stable cooperation on the principles of equality.
Relations between Russia and the West deteriorated in 2014 over Crimea's reunification with Russia and Moscow's alleged role in the crisis in eastern Ukraine. Brussels, Washington and their allies united in accusing Moscow of fueling the crisis and imposed several rounds of sanctions as a punitive measure.
The Russian authorities have refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive and undermine international stability.
In response to the restrictive measures, in August 2014, Russia announced a one-year food embargo on some products originating in states that imposed sanctions against it. The ban has since been extended for another year.
