‘A lot of blockages’: Russia says improving ties with US will take time

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied that dialogue with the US had stalled.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied that Russian dialogue with the US had stalled.

PHOTO: REUTERS

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MOSCOW – Talks between Russia and the United States aimed at improving ties and removing “irritants” in their relationship are not expected to yield quick results, the Kremlin said on June 11.

“Well, let’s say that there are a lot of blockages in bilateral relations. Of course, one can hardly hope for any quick results, but this is precisely the kind of complex step-by-step work that has begun and will continue,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, denying that dialogue had stalled.

Since US President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January, the two countries have launched a series of contacts aimed at improving relations which the Kremlin had described as “below zero” under the previous administration of Mr Joe Biden.

Both sides say there is huge potential for business and investment deals if relations improve.

But Mr Trump, despite holding four phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has voiced frustration about Russia’s war actions in Ukraine and the lack of any visible progress towards a peace deal.

Russia’s new ambassador to Washington said earlier on June 11 that

US-Russia bilateral talks would soon move to Moscow

from Istanbul.

“The recovery of Russian-American relations is still a long way off,” Russian Ambassador Alexander Darchiev told TASS news agency, adding that the rapprochement was being slowed by the so-called US “deep state” and anti-Russian “hawks” in Congress. REUTERS

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