27 Jan 2018 11:57

Trump would like to see relations with Russia improved - U.S. ambassador to Russia

MOSCOW. Jan 27 (Interfax) - U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman has said he believes that President Donald Trump would like to spend more time on relations between Russia and the United States.

"I know that the President would like to see this relationship improved. I think he would like to spend more time on the relationship itself, as he has already. He's talked a lot about the relationship and shown his commitment to it. We now have to show some signs of progress and move it in a more positive direction that would allow for interaction between our leaders," Huntsman said in an interview with Interfax.

"We know the direction we want to go. We must earn a more positive outcome by solving some of the issues that are before us. We must make progress. We must manage these issues responsibly, and we must show progress. Right now we are flat. We need to pick ourselves up and move forward and begin to make progress on issues that matter most. I think arms control will be a good moment where we will see a step in a very important direction. I think that's truly important," the ambassador said.

"Syria is another example where we have worked together in a responsible fashion," he said.

"There is a lot of disinformation and propaganda about the United States and Syria that is very unfortunate, coming from politicians. Because when I talk to the military people, they say we are working very responsibly together. We're communicating. We're deconflicting where we need to. And we're proving the point that we can hold a ceasefire - perhaps the best ceasefire that we have seen since the war began in the southwest. Done by who? Done by the United States and Russia through our military channels. This is an area where we should not be accusing each other through political channels, but letting the military people do their work," Huntsman said.

"So when I met with the top people in the Pentagon two weeks ago, they're talking to [Russian General Staff Chief] General [Valery] Gerasimov and they're having helpful conversations and where they have issues and challenges, they're picking up the phone and saying, "We have a problem here. We have a problem there." And they're resolving them. So this is another example of where we are coming together and showing signs of progress," the ambassador said, recalling his recent meetings in Washington.

The full version of Huntsman's interview will be published on the www.interfax.ru and www.interfax.com websites.