News / Russia

Putin expresses hope for better ties with US in message to Obama

Tuesday, 05 July 2016 9:47 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 05 July 2016 11:15 AM ]

Russian President Vladimir Putin ©AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin has relayed a message to his American counterpart, Barack Obama, in which he expressed hope for better Moscow-Washington ties.

Putin made the remarks in a congratulatory message he sent to Obama in honor of the American Independence Day on July 4, the Kremlin government said Monday.

“The history of Russian-American relations shows that when we act as equal partners and respect each other’s lawful interests, we are able to successfully resolve the most complex international issues for the benefit of both countries' peoples and all of humanity,” Putin wrote.

According to the Kremlin, Putin suggested past work between the two countries would “help to set the dialogue between Russia and the United States back on a constructive track” to address global concerns.

The White House, however, has not yet commented on the message.

Relations between Moscow and Washington hit its post-Cold War low, after Crimea re-integrated into the Russian Federation following a referendum in March 2014.

This photo shows US navy soldiers on the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the Eastern Mediterranean on June 7, 2016. © AFP

The United States and its European allies accuse Moscow of destabilizing Ukraine. Moscow rejects having a hand in the crisis and blames the West for the bloodshed that has so far claimed the lives of more than 9,200 people and left over 21,000 others injured.

Russia and the US support opposite sides of the five-year-old conflict in Syria. The US military intervention in Syria deteriorated the already strained relations with Russia.

Moscow warned Washington that an attempt to topple the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would not help a successful fight against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.

Since September 30, 2015, Russia has been conducting airstrikes against Daesh and other terrorist groups in Syria at the Syrian government’s request.

The US and its allies have also been carrying out airstrikes in Syria purportedly against Daesh positions since September 2014. According to a Washington Post report, the Obama administration is now looking to partner with Moscow in the fight against terrorists.

The report said the White House made a proposal after weeks of negotiations, calling on the militaries of Russia and the United States to cooperate at an “unprecedented” level in Syria.

It said the partnership with Moscow would deepen military cooperation between the two countries against militants in Syria.

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