Kremlin: Nuland's visit is a sign of improved relations with the US

The visit to Moscow of US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland is a sign that relations between Russia and the United States can improve. This was stated by press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov on Monday. According to him, when President Putin met with Minister Lavrov and Secretary of State Kerry, it was noted that closer dialogue was needed.

Nuland trip occurs after the visit of the US Secretary of State John Kerry in Sochiwhere he discussed conflicts with Ukraine and Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Nuland held talks in Moscow with two deputy foreign ministers of Russia Sergey Ryabkov and Grigory Karasin, and also met with the oldest human rights activist Lyudmila Alekseeva.

State Department spokesman Jeff Ratke clarified that US Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland spoke during her stay in Moscow not only about elections in the Donbas and the ceasefire, as the Russian media noted, writes Ukrinform.

Ratke made a statement on Monday during a daily briefing in Washington.

“US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, as far as I understand, is now returning from Moscow. She spoke about the next steps to implement the Minsk agreements in the development of discussions during Secretary of State Kerry’s meetings in Sochi on May 12,” said a representative of the US Foreign Department.

He recalled that one of the goals of the head of the State Department’s visit to Sochi was “to communicate directly with those who make key decisions in Russia on many issues, including Ukraine, and also, in order to clearly express the US position regarding Ukraine, to talk about the consequences of non-compliance with the Minsk agreements.”

Rathke also emphasized that the United States takes an active position in supporting the implementation of the Minsk agreements in all aspects, “including a complete ceasefire, increasing the volume and access of humanitarian assistance, control and monitoring of the international border, as well as the holding of free elections in eastern Ukraine.”

Nuland arrived in Moscow on Sunday and managed eat dumplings with sour cream.