No progress in talks as Kerry meets Putin

Top US and Russian officials said they hoped to work together on contentious issues such as the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria but offered no sign of concrete progress after more than eight hours of talks yesterday.

US secretary of state John Kerry met for more than four hours each with Russian president Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss topics including the Iran nuclear talks as well as the civil strife in Yemen and Libya.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, the two foreign ministers accentuated the positive despite the fact that US-Russian relations have sunk to their lowest level since the cold war largely because of the Ukraine crisis.

"We have an understanding that we need to avoid steps which are able to inflict a long-term harm to bilateral relations between Russia and the United States, " Mr Lavrov told reporters through an interpreter.

“There is no substitute for talking directly to key decision makers, particularly during a period that is a complex and fast moving as this is,” Mr Kerry added.

Highest level

Mr Kerry met Mr Lavrov and Mr Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in what was the highest-level US visit to Russia since the Ukraine crisis began in the autumn of 2013.

Ties between Washington and Moscow have deteriorated since Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in March 2014 and backed pro-Russian separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. Moscow accuses Washington of orchestrating last year's overthrow of Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, who was supported by Russia.

The US has accused Russia of failing to withdraw heavy equipment such as air defence systems, tanks and artillery from eastern Ukraine in violation of a peace plan agreed in February known as Minsk 2.

The US and EU imposed economic sanctions on Russia after it took over Crimea and have intensified them since.

Despite the strains, Mr Putin smiled as he met Mr Kerry.

Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov placed wreaths at a memorial to second World War victims.

Russia‘s foreign ministry spokeswoman said Mr Lavrov gave Mr Kerry baskets of fresh tomatoes and potatoes, a possible allusion to Russia‘s decision last year to ban imports of European fruit and vegetables in response to Western sanctions.

He also presented Kerry with a T-shirt with "Victory" and "1945-2015", a reference to the 70th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany. – (Reuters)