MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia and the United States realise the necessity of efforts to normalize the bilateral relations which were ruined under the previous US administration, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said Friday.
"Both sides have an understanding that serious efforts are needed to normalize the Russia-US relations which were literally crushed by the previous administration," Ushakov told reporters.
"Overall, the visit of our [foreign] minister [Sergei Lavrov] to Washington showed that we have many opportunities for joint work despite the issues remaining from the past. Russia is open for dialogue with the United States in various fields," Ushakov said.
On May 2, Putin and Trump held a phone conversation and spoke in favor of organizing a personal meeting on the sidelines of the Hamburg summit, which will take place on July 7-8.
The establishment of constructive cooperation between Russia and the United States is in the interests of both countries, it is important that the meeting of their leaders brings a tangible result, Ushakov said.
"No matter how certain forces in the US establishment could resist this, arranging constructive interaction between Moscow and Washington meets the long-term interests of our countries, and, what is very important, the tasks of ensuring security and stability in the world," Ushakov told journalists.
"Taking into account many factors, I will assume that the meeting of the Russian president with his US counterpart can be considered within the framework of the G20 summit in Hamburg on July 7-8. It is important that this possible contact brings tangible results and takes a positive place in the bilateral format work for the future," he said.
Donald Trump has repeatedly advocated establishing a political dialogue with Moscow, particularly in regards to the fight against terrorism, and expressed readiness to build positive relations with Russia. Moscow has long been promoting the idea of fruitful cooperation with Washington.
"The dialogue is being established gradually and is beginning to attain meaningful content," Ushakov told reporters.
