Kerry told about his talks with Putin – RBC

US Secretary of State John Kerry (center) during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Kremlin

Photo: Mikhail Metzel / TASS

US Secretary of State John Kerry in a statement after the talks with the Russian president told that the subject of their conversation was the situation in Syria, Ukraine and the fate of the Ukrainian pilots Hope Savchenko

US Secretary of State John Kerry at a press conference after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, which lasted four hours said that they talked about the situation in Syria and Ukraine, as well as the fate of the Ukrainian pilots Hope Savchenko.

Kerry bulk talks with the Russian side “constructive.” He noted the common position of Russia and the United States to confront the terrorists in Syria. The Secretary of State also recalled that the United States supports the early implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Kerry pointed out that Russia and the United States are united in the fact that Minsk agreement must be met. When all the provisions of these agreements will be fulfilled, including the Ukraine will return control of the border with Russia, with the latter can be removed the sanctions, said Kerry.

Separately, Kerry expressed hope that Ukrainian pilots Hope Savchenko, condemned in Russia, “to return to the Ukraine.” “It is a question of a humanitarian nature, which must be resolved immediately,” – she said. Transferred Ukraine should be everyone who was illegally detained in Russia, emphasized Kerry.

At the same time, according to Kerry, he came to Russia, to discuss not only the question of Hope Savchenko, but also to consider a wide range of issues .

The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, in response to journalists’ questions, in turn, said that the state of health of Hope Savchenko is under the supervision of Russian doctors.

Lavrov also said that at the meeting Vladimir Putin, the participants agreed on several points: to continue coordinating actions to consolidate the cessation of hostilities in Syria, to prevent the use of indiscriminate weapons, to continue efforts to ensure humanitarian access to all areas of Syria. Russia and the United States have also agreed to encourage all participants in the Syrian conflict to release prisoners, to intensify efforts to create conditions for the political process, which should be completed arrangements Syrians themselves. The sides also agreed to pursue direct negotiations of opposition and the Syrian authorities.

The third year of the meeting between Putin and Kerry lasted four hours. In her early interlocutors were configured favorably. “We are really happy to see you, because I was without jokes saying now, as a rule, we have been able to achieve, which is to find common ground,” – said Vladimir Putin. He also pointed out that the fact that Russia has managed to do on the Syrian track, could only be achieved thanks to the position of the top political US leadership, President Obama’s position.

At the end of Lavrov and Kerry at a press conference also We appreciate the efforts of each other and presidents. Kerry compared his work with Lavrov to the work of the American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, who spent a year in space.

Lavrov also said that the parties agreed to establish a regular review of bilateral relations.

Four visit in three years

H yneshny visit – the fourth in three years. Each time the Secretary of State was received by President Vladimir Putin, with which negotiations are always delayed for a few hours.

7-8 May 2013, during the first visit of Kerry to Moscow, Russia and the US have agreed to hold a second international conference on Syria but it took until early next year. Upon arrival Kerry sides began to prepare the visit to Moscow by US President Barack Obama, but he did not take place due to Russia’s decision to grant asylum to Edward Snowden, and other bilateral problems

May 14, 2015 John Kerry arrived in Sochi -. It It was his first visit to Russia after the start of the Ukrainian crisis. The talks with Vladimir Putin lasted for several hours, after which Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said that relations were “the first signs of understanding” between the two countries. After the visit, the countries agreed to create a mechanism for consultation in Ukraine at the level of deputy foreign ministers, began preparations for the meeting of Putin and Obama, which took place during Putin’s visit to New York for the UN General Assembly events in September. On his return from New York, Putin ordered the start of a military operation in Syria.

December 15, 2015 John Kerry came back to Moscow and was received by Putin in the Kremlin. Negotiations continued for three hours, the main topic was the situation in Syria. Despite the fact that a broad coalition could not be established on Syria, as Moscow wanted, Russia and the United States agreed to exchange information to prevent incidents. It initiates the list of terrorist groups in Syria, against which did not have to conduct military operations. The list had been drawn up – the parties agreed that it is necessary to continue fighting against banned in Russia and LIH Dzhebhat en-Nusra, and those groups who call themselves moderates and are ready for talks – report it to the information centers established Russia and the United States.