WASHINGTON, June 22. /TASS/. Russia hopes the US will positively respond to the proposals on cyber security dialogue, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov told reporters on Monday.

"We should launch a series of consultations on various issues with our colleagues. We hope that they will positively react to the proposals on cyber security dialogue," Antonov said. "Time has come when we need to stop communicating only through mass media and receiving concerns from US media. It’s high time our high-ranking experts sat down at the negotiating table and solved particular problems, which the Russian president named at the press conference."

In a comment on whether at the Geneva summit Russia handed over a list of areas, which should not become targets for hackers, Antonov said: "In principle, I believe that cyber attacks are unacceptable."

"[President] Vladimir Putin [earlier] said very clearly that the Russian government and the Russian leadership has no relation to these cyber attacks (recent high-profile cyber attacks on US computer networks)," he stressed.

Biden announced at the press conference after the Geneva summit that he had handed over to Putin a list of 16 types of infrastructure facilities, the attacks on which should be thwarted in the toughest way according to the US side’s proposal.

In early May, attackers from the DarkSide group hacked into the systems of the American pipeline company Colonial Pipeline. According to American intelligence services, DarkSide may be based on the territory of Russia or Eastern Europe, but is not associated with any government. On May 31, the computer networks of the American division of the Brazilian meat processing company JBS were attacked.

During his press conference after the talks with Biden, Putin noted that Moscow and Washington could agree on the rules of behavior in the fields of strategic stability, cyber security and regional conflicts.

Developing a security equation

According to the diplomat, Russia also hopes to develop a security equation with the United States in the field of strategic stability after the Geneva summit.

"We called on the previous US administration to confirm the Reagan-Gorbachev formula (there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should never be unleashed - TASS). I’m very satisfied as we managed to do this now, there can be no nuclear war between the US and Russia," Antonov noted. <...> This recognition of the US political leadership says a lot. I would like to express confidence that this key point will be implemented in particular steps, talks and agreements."

The diplomat expects that in the coming weeks such a conversation will take place, but declined to reveal details about the format, the members of the Russian and US delegations.

"When we are speaking about strategic stability, to a large degree we are talking about developing a security equation, which will allow both states to feel comfortable and allow to iron out security issues that concern one or another country," Antonov said.

Building pragmatic and equal relations

Building pragmatic and equal relations between Russia and the United States depends on Washington’s political will, diplomat told.

"I would like to highlight that the Russian side has a constructive stance on building equal and pragmatic relations with the US. Today everything depends on the US political will and if it is ready to translate into actions those positive words that the two presidents said in Geneva," Antonov stated.

The diplomat, who spent the first working day in Washington on June 21 after returning from consultations in Moscow, confirmed that he "sent a number of requests to various US organizations" to meet with their leadership and discuss what needs to be done to fulfill the positive stance of the presidents towards stabilizing bilateral relations, which was voiced after the summit. "This will enable us to later speak about improving bilateral ties," Antonov said.

"Let’s wait a little bit, I think this will take a little time and we will be able to discuss with you particular results of what we reached and what we were able to do," Antonov said. According to him, it’s necessary to arrange such meetings with US colleagues not only in the US but also in other countries.