The Russian Foreign Minister told the Magyar Nemzet newspaper that the meeting was encouraging, but Moscow is aware that the road to de-escalation in relations with Washington is complicated.

Representatives of Russia and the United States discussed the topics of strategic stability and arms control on July 28th in Geneva. The Kremlin presented its counterpart with a package of work proposals for possible cooperation in those spheres.

This was the first meeting after Presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden agreed to initiate a comprehensive dialogue on this issue.

Lavrov announced that Moscow and Washington plan to initiate joint work on cybersecurity, which would help address the challenges both countries face.

Putin indicated that it is possible to obtain concrete results in said spheres, but only through respectful conversations based on the balance of interests, acceptable to both parties, said the minister.

‘We are realistic and we understand that the path to de-escalation of tensions is not easy,’ stressed Lavrov. ‘Unlike in the Cold War era, not everything, but a lot in this area, depends on the Russian-American agreements.’

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