Lavrov-Tillerson Talks: 'Ukraine is What US is Concerned Least About'

"I think he had a very successful meeting in Russia. We'll see, we'll see the end result, which will be in a long period of time perhaps. But the end result is what's most important, not just talk," Trump said Wednesday during a joint press briefing with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The president added that he would have a detailed conversation with Tillerson later.

"I think based on everything I'm hearing things went pretty well, maybe better than anticipated," the president noted.

Trump added that the United Stated at present "does not get along with Russia at all."

But, Trump also stressed it would be fantastic to improve US relations with Russia, as well as with many other countries in order to stabilize the situation around the world.

On Wednesday, State Secretary Tillerson held talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The sides discussed a wide range of issues.

Diplomatic sources presented during the talks between Tillerson and Lavrov told Sputnik that the meeting was dominated by the Syrian problem.

"They focused on Syria. In fact, 99 percent of the meeting was devoted to the matter," a source said.

The source also said that during the meeting Lavrov and Tillerson scarcely talked about Ukraine.

Dmitry Solonnikov, director of the Institute for Modern State Development, said that the result of Tillerson’s visit to Moscow was better than anyone could have expected in the current situation.

"As for me, the talks were quite optimistic because each of the sides seems to have reached their initial goals. The talks were more successful than could be expected in the current political situation," Solonnikov told Radio Sputnik.

The expert pointed to the length of the talks. The first part, including a meeting between Tillerson and Lavrov, lasted for five hours, and the second part, involving President Putin, lasted for another two hours.

"This would be too long for an ordinary talk, synchronizing watches or discussing the differences once again. I think that what was said during the press conference [after the talks] is just the tip of the iceberg," Solonnikov said.

He suggested that the most likely directions for cooperation between Washington and Moscow could now be the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East.

"I think that Ukraine is what the US is concerned least about. I think that Tillerson and Lavrov discussed North Korea. This is one of the most important global issues now. Moreover, there is the Middle East problem, not only the conflict in Syria," the expert said.

 

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