In New Year Letter To Trump, Putin Says Moscow Is Open For Dialogue

Putin stressed that relations between Russia and the United States were the most important factor for ensuring strategic stability and international security.

Moscow:

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a New Year's letter to his US counterpart Donald Trump, said Sunday that Moscow is ready for a dialogue on "an ambitious agenda," said the Kremlin.

In late November, Trump abruptly canceled a planned meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina, citing tensions over Russian forces that fired on Ukrainian navy ships before seizing them.

"Vladimir Putin stressed that relations between Russia and the United States were the most important factor for ensuring strategic stability and international security," the Kremlin said in a statement.

"He confirmed that Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on the largest program".

In a separate letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Putin pledged to continue assisting the Syrian government and people in the "fight against terrorism, in defense of state sovereignty and the fight against terrorism." territorial integrity ".

Putin also sent his best wishes for the New Year to other world leaders, including Prime Ministers Theresa May of Great Britain and Shinzo Abe of Japan, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Putin wanted "the well-being and prosperity of the British people," said the Kremlin.

The Russian Embassy in London announced on Friday that Moscow and London had agreed to send staff back to their respective embassies after deporting dozens of diplomats earlier this year.

Britain has expelled 23 Russian diplomats on charges that the Kremlin was causing a nerve toxin attack against former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury.