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Russia, US hold sincere talks on Ukraine — Russian Defense Ministry

Russia's military official says Russia is ready to explain the logic behind its actions, including the activity of Russian troops in the area adjacent to the Ukrainian borders

A Russian soldier stands next the US flag (archive) AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky

A Russian soldier stands next the US flag (archive)

© AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky

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Russian troops to return to permanent bases after drills on Ukraine border

MOSCOW, May 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia’s and the US defense agencies maintain permanent contacts over Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry top official said.

“The defense officials are holding substantial talks in a sincere atmosphere,” the chief of the Russian Defense Ministry Main Directorate for International Military Cooperation, Sergei Koshelev told Rossiya 24 TV Channel on Wednesday.

“We’re ready to explain Russian actions’ logic, including the activity of Russian troops in the area adjacent to the Ukrainian borders,” he said.

“Chief of Russia’s General Staff Valery Gerasimov is talking with Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu talked with US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel three times. There are no forbidden topics,” Koshelev said.

“In my view, as of today, there are no grounds for mistrusting the pledges that the ministers gave earlier. In Vienna, representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry commented on the West’s statements that 40,000 Russian troops had been massed on the Ukrainian border,” he said.

The photos were thoroughly studied in Vienna and proved that Russia had not built up any group, Koshelev said.

“Nobody could set any claims. Everyone recognised that no undeclared activity against Ukraine had been made. The Russian Federation’s policy is exclusively transparent,” he said.

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Ukraine crisis Foreign policy Russian Defense Ministry

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