Moscow does not see significant hindrances to further contacts with U.S. regarding Ukrainian settlement - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. Oct 23 (Interfax) - Moscow does not see significant hindrances to further interaction with the United States regarding Ukraine, based on the agreements reached by Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said

"We do not see significant hindrances to continuing the process, initiated by the presidents of Russia and the United States and aimed to coordinate a political framework of the Ukrainian settlement and to saturate it with practical results," Zakharova said at a press briefing on Thursday. She thus commented on U.S. President Donald Trump's statement on cancelling a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest he had declared earlier.

"For its part, the Russian Foreign Ministry stays open to further contacts on the level of the U.S. Department of State and the understandings reached in the conversation the presidents had on October 16," she said.

"We view as the objective the specification of parameters of further Russian-American dialogue both on various aspects of bilateral relations and on various joint steps on the Ukrainian settlement track," Zakharova said.

"We assume that Washington will continue to share its considerations and reasons with regard to its steps, including those taken in public," she said.

Speaking of the political framework for settling the Ukrainian conflict, Zakharova said, "This is a difficult and thorough job that should not be done by standing in front of a microphone or by restoring to leaks and hoaxes, instead diplomatic efforts should be taken and diplomatic instruments should be used, as diplomats do."

"Whenever we speak about a political and diplomatic settlement of the Ukrainian conflict, we invariably say there is no alternative to the special military operation goals declared in February 2022," she said.

"This is the starting point in our dialogue with the United States and other countries, which seek to make a constructive input in the cause of settlement," Zakharova said.