On May 17, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the initiative of the US side.
The heads of foreign policy offices shared opinions on the outcomes of the Russian-Ukrainian talks held the previous day in Istanbul, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said in a statement.
Marco Rubio welcomed the agreements reached on the exchange of prisoners of war and the intention of each side to prepare its own proposals outlining the conditions necessary for a ceasefire. He reaffirmed Washington’s readiness to continue supporting efforts towards a negotiated settlement.
Sergey Lavrov acknowledged the constructive role played by the United States in encouraging Kiev to finally accept President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to resume negotiations in Istanbul. He reiterated Moscow’s willingness to continue working with US colleagues in this context.
The conversation also touched on a number of other international and regional issues. The sides exchanged views on the continuation of Russian-American contacts.
