WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Kirby stated that Washington relations with Moscow remain critical and in "some cases very, very challenging."
"The degree to which or how the incoming administration will look at that is up for them to decide. It is not our place to provide a lecture to the incoming administration one way or the other."
The United States and Russia, Kirby continued, have worked together on issues like the Iran nuclear agreement, but have major differences with respect to Ukraine, Syria and cyberspace, among other areas.
On Sunday, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters at the APEC Summit in Peru that Trump reaffirmed his willingness to normalize US-Russian relations in a phone conversation they had earlier this month.
Putin warned, however, that in any country there are always differences between a presidential candidate’s campaign rhetoric and the actual policies pursued once in office.
