"This administration has been clear that the door to dialogue is open. We maintain channels of communications with Russia on Ukraine, Syria, arms control, strategic stability, and many other bilateral matter," the official said.
Bloomberg reported on Thursday citing a US administration official that US National Security Adviser John Bolton will discuss arms control and the situation in Syria when he meets with his Russian counterpart, Secretary of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev in Geneva next week.
On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Bolton and Russian officials are indeed expected to hold talks in Geneva next week. The White House on Tuesday announced the meeting and said the focus would be on national security issues.
According to Bloomberg, Russian officials have been also trying to renegotiate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the New START Treaty with the Trump administration.
Ties between Russia and Ukraine soured after a crisis in Ukraine in 2014 prompted a referendum in its Russia-majority region of Crimea to reunite with Russia. The vote led to sanctions on Russia, which responded with a ban on certain imports.
