Russia-US Cooperation Vital for Resolution of Global Problems - Kremlin

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Mutually-beneficial cooperation between Russia and the United States is crucial for the success of international efforts to resolve many global problems, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.

"We are still convinced that without cooperation and interaction between Russia and the US the resolution of many global problems is impossible," Peskov told reporters in Moscow.

Russia hopes that the presidential candidates in the upcoming US election campaign "would do less [compared with previous elections] to sacrifice out bilateral relations," according to Peskov.

Since 2014, Russia's relations with the West, including the Unites States, deteriorated dramatically over Crimea's reunification with Russia and the Ukrainian crisis. Washington accused Moscow of meddling in Ukraine's internal affairs and escalating the armed conflict in the east of the country, which Russia has repeatedly denied.

In mid-May, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov noted Moscow was ready for dialogue with Washington, particularly in the military and political spheres.

Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would leave room for cooperation with the United States despite tensions between the two countries, stressing that such contacts should be in the interest of both Moscow and Washington.