President Vladimir Putin met with visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Moscow on Tuesday, the Interfax news agency reported.
“Both of us are looking for ways to resolve the most complicated crises. I know ... the American side had prepared its vision on how to deal with a variety of problems including the Syrian crisis,” Putin said at the meeting, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Putin also said he will be happy to discuss all the White House's proposals, according to the state news agency TASS.
Kerry stressed that Russia and the United States can do much toward resolving the Syrian crisis, and praised the Vienna talks as a good starting point.
Earlier on Tuesday, Kerry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss the Syrian conflict and the possibility of joining forces in counter-terrorism efforts. Kerry and Lavrov also talked about the Ukrainian crisis and the bilateral relation between Russia and the United States, RIA Novosti reported.
Kerry also had a meeting with Ludmila Alexeyeva, head of the human rights organization Moscow Helsinki Group, and took a walk along Arbat street, Radio Svoboda reported Tuesday.
Kerry's visit is his second to Russia this year, but his first since the start of Moscow's military campaign in Syria in September. The Secretary of State had met with Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in May.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
