Russia, US ready for better ties as Putin set to host Pompeo

Moscow and Washington’s top diplomats said yesterday they were ready to improve ties, ahead of the countries’ highest-level talks in nearly a year as President Vladimir Putin hosts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Pompeo arrived in the sunny Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday amid a raft of disagreements, from arms control to the raging Venezuela and Iran crises.

At the start of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and before a planned evening meeting with Putin, Pompeo expressed hope the two rivals could “stabilise the relationship”.

“I am here today because President (Donald) Trump is committed to improving this relationship,” he said.

“We have differences—each country will protect its own interests and look after its own people—but it’s not that we have to be adversaries on every issue.”

Lavrov said Russia was ready to open a new page in ties.

“I believe it’s time to start building a new, more responsible and constructive model of mutual perception of each other,” he said.

“We understand that a lot of suspicions and biases have accumulated on both sides. We win nothing from this.”

Pompeo’s visit to Russia—his first as Secretary of State—came as tensions mounted dangerously in the Gulf, with Iran and the United States engaged in a new war of words over Tehran’s nuclear deal.

Pompeo is the highest-ranking US official to see Putin since last July, when Trump met him in Helsinki.

Then, Trump stunned the US political establishment by appearing to accept the Russian leader’s statement at face value that he did not meddle in the US election, contrary to US intelligence evaluations.

 

Russia, US ready for better ties as Putin set to host Pompeo

Moscow and Washingtons top diplomats said yesterday they were ready to improve ties, ahead of the countries highest-level talks in nearly a year as President Vladimir Putin hosts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Pompeo arrived in the sunny Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday amid a raft of disagreements, from arms control to the raging Venezuela and Iran crises. At the start of talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and before a planned evening meeting with Putin, Pompeo expressed hope the two rivals could stabilise the relationship. I am here today because President (Donald) Trump is committed to improving this relationship, he said. We have differenceseach country will protect its own interests and look after its own peoplebut its not that we have to be adversaries on every issue. Lavrov said Russia was ready to open a new page in ties. I believe its time to start building a new, more responsible and constructive model of mutual perception of each other, he said. We understand that a lot of suspicions and biases have accumulated on both sides. We win nothing from this. Pompeos visit to Russiahis first as Secretary of Statecame as tensions mounted dangerously in the Gulf, with Iran and the United States engaged in a new war of words over Tehrans nuclear deal. Pompeo is the highest-ranking US official to see Putin since last July, when Trump met him in Helsinki. Then, Trump stunned the US political establishment by appearing to accept the Russian leaders statement at face value that he did not meddle in the US election, contrary to US intelligence evaluations.