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Russian, US security chiefs discuss arms treaties, counterterrorism

The first meeting in the Bolton-Patrushev format was held in Geneva in late August

MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and US National Security Adviser John Bolton have discussed a wide range of issues of international security during the meeting on Monday, including arms treaties, Syria, Iran, North Korea and war on terrorism, the US Embassy in Russia stated on Twitter.

"[Bolton] began his trip to Moscow by meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev. They have discussed a wide range of issues, including arms treaties, Syria, Iran, North Korea and the fight against terrorism," the message states.

TASS sources inform that the meeting is still ongoing. Earlier, Russian Presidential Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Kremlin expects that US National Security Adviser John Bolton will provide an explanation for US President Donald Trump’s statement concerning the US planning to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

On Monday, Bolton began his two-day working program in the Russian capital. Trump’s adviser earlier tweeted that on October 20 he would be travelling to Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia to meet with his counterparts in order "to advance American interests on a range of security issues."

At the meeting with Patrushev, the US diplomat is expected to focus on the US’ plans to withdraw from the INF Treaty, a milestone arms control agreement signed between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1987.

In Moscow, Bolton is also scheduled to meet with representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry and Putin’s foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov. The meeting between Bolton and Russian President Vladimir Putin is still being prepared, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday. Ushakov noted that Bolton had requested a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The first meeting in the Bolton-Patrushev format was held in Geneva on August 23. The sides agreed to resume Russian-US contacts at the level of defense and foreign policy officials and the General Staff.

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