Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country is ready to cooperate with the new US administration, as he gave his annual state-of-the-nation address Thursday in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country is ready to cooperate with the new US administration, as he gave his annual state-of-the-nation address Thursday in Moscow.
His comments come at a time when US-Russian relations have sunk to their lowest point since the Cold War, amid tensions over Syria, Russia’s actions in Ukraine and allegations of Russian meddling in the US presidential election.
US President-elect Donald Trump has, however, praised Putin as a firm leader and the pair have indicated they want ties to improve.
“We are prepared to cooperate with the new American administration,” said Putin in his address, although he did not mention Trump by name.
“It’s important to normalize and begin to develop bilateral relations on an equal and mutually beneficial basis,” he said.
“Mutual efforts by Russia and the United States in solving global and regional problems are in the interest of the entire world.”
Putin also said he hoped to join the United States to fight the threat of international terrorism.
This, he said, is exactly what Russia’s military is doing in Syria, as it backs the forces of President Bashar al-Assad against opposition fighters.
“We have a common responsibility to ensure international security and stability and strengthening non-proliferation (of nuclear weapons),” he said. “I would like to underscore that attempts to destroy this strategic priority are highly dangerous and could lead to world catastrophe.
