Putin Calls for Reset in US-Russia Relations

By Staff, Agencies

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that his talks with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, during the recent Alaska summit were frank and substantive, and expressed hope that the first steps taken by the two countries could pave the way for a full restoration of relations.

The two presidents met in Anchorage last week in what was their first face-to-face encounter since 2018. Both described the talks as constructive and warm and said they had made progress toward a Ukraine peace deal.

Putin said that with Trump’s arrival in the White House, “a light at the end of the tunnel” had appeared for restoring ties.

He added that he hoped Trump’s leadership qualities would help secure further progress and that the first steps already taken were “only the beginning of a full-scale revival of our relations.”

Trump’s leadership offers a “strong guarantee that our relations will improve,” Putin noted, adding that he hoped their “joint work would continue.”

The Russian president stressed, however, that the progress does not depend on Moscow alone, pointing out that Washington remains bound by obligations to organizations such as NATO. The next steps, he said, rest with the US leadership.