Kremlin says Ukraine issue to be on agenda of Russia-US dialog

MOSCOW, January 16. /TASS/. Efforts to resolve the Ukrainian crisis will be part of the agenda of the dialogue between Russia and the new US administration, Russian Presidential Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters on Monday.

"As for the Ukrainian issue, of course, one can assume with a great deal of certainty that it will be part of the agenda of the Russian-US dialogue in the future. However, we cannot say at the moment how the dialogue and exchange of views will be developing," he noted. "That will depend, to a large extent, on the stance taken by the new administration in Washington."

However, the Kremlin spokesman disagreed with the assumption that Russia’s relations with the United States and other Western countries deteriorated in the wake of the Ukrainian crisis. "I cannot agree that relations between the West and Russia deteriorated precisely after that. Not all Western countries’ attitude (towards Russia) has deteriorated," he said.

The new US administration will assume office after the inauguration of President-elect, Donald Trump, that will be held on January 20.