MOSCOW, July 1 (Xinhua) -- The recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump inspired optimism, but the internal U.S. situation may prevent a rapid rapprochement, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Monday.
"I would like to emphasize that the contact in Osaka gave grounds, despite various circumstances, to look to the future with certain optimism," Ryabkov said at a meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club, a Russian think tank.
"Taking into account the dominant anti-Russian sentiments in the elites, including on Capitol Hill, it is rather unlikely to expect a more favorable background," he said, commenting on the Putin-Trump meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka of Japan on Friday.
Ryabkov said that the Russian side has demonstrated the desire to move forward, and now everything depends on the U.S. leadership.
According to him, Russia and the United States achieved in Osaka "serious understanding" in the area of achieving strategic stability, and the parties focused on resuming relevant experts dialogue in the near future.
Moscow and Washington have also advanced in the matter of creating a consultative mechanism on trade and economic cooperation, which will elaborate recommendations to the two governments, Ryabkov said.
