In Sochi John Kerry began meeting with Putin and Lavrov – BBC Russian

• 12 May 2015

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Kerry was in Russia in 2013

In his Sochi residence “Bocharov Stream” is hosting a meeting of Russian President and US Secretary of State John Kerry. At the meeting, present Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. This is the first visit of Kerry in Russia since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

As expected, the US and Russia will discuss a number of international issues, including the situation in Iran and Syria. “The trip – part of our ongoing effort to maintain direct communication with senior Russian officials,” – noted in the White House.

The relationship between Moscow and Washington have deteriorated markedly after the Russian annexation of the Crimea Ukrainian. In addition, Washington has repeatedly accused Moscow of supporting the armed supporters of the breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine. Russia has strongly denied the allegations. US President Barack Obama refused to attend the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Victory in Moscow.

As the correspondent of the BBC’s Bridget Kendall BBC, John Kerry never visited Russia since the beginning of the differences between Washington and Moscow on the events in Ukraine, and President Barack Obama is an important Secretary of the trip itself in Russia.

Russian officials also called the visit “an important and symbolic”.

Tomatoes and potatoes

John Kerry and Lavrov laid a wreath at the monument to those who died during the Great Patriotic War

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a meeting with Kerry in Sochi gave him as a gift Krasnodar tomatoes and potatoes, said the deputy head of the Department of Information and Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.

“Lavrov gave Kerry Krasnodar tomatoes and potatoes, which is in the distant kinship with the one at the time he brought American colleague” – Zakharov wrote on his page on “Facebook”.

According to her, Kerry also received a gift from Lavrov’s T-shirts Victory.

In turn, the head of the State Department gave Russian counterpart a list of quotes Russian media, which, in his view, do not reflect the real potential of large-scale Russian-American relations, he added Zakharova.

Position of Ukraine

As correspondent Bi-bi-si, is not quite clear what he wants to achieve his visit Kerry.

“The US State Department said that Kerry will come to Russia to keep an open line of communication link between the two countries, and to bring to Moscow the US view, which suggests that he reproach Putin for his position on Ukraine”, – said Kendall.

According to the newspaper “Kommersant”, Kerry’s visit demonstrates the growing desire of the West to find a new formula of relations with Moscow, despite the fundamental contradictions in Ukraine.

The US accuses Russia of supporting the self-proclaimed supporters of the NPT and LC

The Russian Foreign Ministry hopes that the visit will contribute to the normalization of the stalled bilateral relations. At the same time in Moscow, the United States, according to diplomatic sources, waiting for new proposals for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.

planned in February trip to Kerry in Russia was canceled. According to sources, Russian news agencies, this happened at the initiative of Washington.

After Sochi John Kerry will travel to Turkey, where he will attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the NATO countries.