Russian Ambassador has returned to the United States intending to build “equal and pragmatic” ties after a US-Russia summit in Geneva.
Gatekeepers News reports that Ambassador Anatoly Antonov departed Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport on Sunday for New York, where he will travel on to Washington.
“Given the results of the meeting between the two presidents, I am counting on constructive work with my American colleagues to build equal and pragmatic relations,” Antonov told the Ria Novosti agency, adding he was in an “optimistic mood”.
Gatekeepers News had earlier reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his counterpart, Joe Biden met last Wednesday and agreed to hold talks on arms control, cybersecurity and also to return their respective ambassadors to their posts.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries had shattered since Biden took office and accused the Kremlin of interfering in U.S elections and launching cyberattacks.
After Biden likened Putin to a “killer”, Russia in March summoned back Ambassador Antonov and said the U.S envoy John Sullivan to Moscow should return to Washington.
Sullivan left Moscow in April as the two countries announced a wave of tit-for-tat sanctions and expulsions of diplomats.
US-Russia relations have been deteriorating for years, notably with Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, its 2015 intervention in Syria and US charges – denied by Moscow – of meddling in the 2016 election won by Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump.
After last week’s meeting, Biden described the tone of the meetings as “positive” as there were no “threats” during the summit.
“I must tell you, the tone of the entire meeting, I guess it was a total of four hours, it was good. Positive.”
The Russian President also told reporters that there was “no hostility” during the “constructive” summit.
