After what we are sure was a 'productive' day's discussion, US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are set for a joint press conference... to explain how they have made-up, forgiven each other, and hugged it out (or not).
On the highest-level US visit to Russia since the conflict in Ukraine erupted in late 2013, Kerry first met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov for four hours in the Black Sea resort of Sochi before being welcomed by Putin at his seaside summer residence.
The two men warmly shook hands, before sitting down with a small team of staff at a long table.
At "a critical moment" for Ukraine, Washington is looking to ensure the "next steps in concrete implementation" of the truce deal, as well as to "see whether they [Russia] see an opportunity to do more together" in Syria, a senior State Department official said.
Kerry was also set to discuss Yemen and Libya and brief Putin on the negotiations on curtailing Iran's nuclear program. He was accompanied by chief US negotiator Wendy Sherman who will travel to Vienna on Wednesday for a new round of Iran talks.
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- *PUTIN-KERRY TALKS WERE OPEN, FRIENDLY, BUSINESS-LIKE: USHAKOV
- *KERRY PASSED GREETING TO PUTIN FROM OBAMA: USHAKOV
- *PUTIN, KERRY DISCUSSED UKRAINE CRISIS IN PARTICULAR: USHAKOV
- *RUSSIA STRESSED NEED TO IMPLEMENT UKRAINE MINSK ACCORD; USHAKOV
- *PUTIN, KERRY DISCUSSED IRAN, MIDEAST, N. KOREA: USHAKOV
- *PUTIN TELLS KERRY RUSSIA INTERESTED IN NORMAL TIES: USHAKOV
- *NO BREAKTHROUGH BUT START OF PROCESS: USHAKOV
* * *
Let battle commence...
