Russias lavrov meets tillerson ahead of trump talks

A significant diplomatic encounter!

On January 10, 2017, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with US Secretary of State-designate Rex Tillerson ahead of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President-elect Donald Trump. The meeting took place at the US State Department in Washington, D.C.

The encounter was seen as a significant step in the normalization of US-Russia relations, which had been strained due to various issues, including the Ukraine crisis, Syria, and alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election.

During the meeting, Lavrov and Tillerson discussed a range of topics, including:

1. Ukraine: The two sides reportedly discussed the situation in Ukraine, with Lavrov emphasizing Russia's commitment to the Minsk agreements and Tillerson expressing concerns about Russia's actions in the region.
2. Syria: The meeting touched on the ongoing conflict in Syria, with both sides agreeing on the need to combat terrorism and stabilize the country.
3. Nuclear arms control: Lavrov and Tillerson discussed the future of nuclear arms control agreements, including the New START treaty, which is set to expire in 2021.
4. Trade and economic cooperation: The two sides also discussed ways to improve trade and economic ties between the two countries.

The meeting was seen as a positive step towards improving US-Russia relations, which had been strained under the Obama administration. However, it remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will be able to make significant progress in resolving the various issues that have divided the two countries.

In a statement after the meeting, Lavrov said that the two sides had a "constructive" conversation and that Russia was ready to work with the new US administration to resolve outstanding issues. Tillerson, meanwhile, emphasized the need for a "reset" in US-Russia relations and expressed hope that the two countries could work together to address common challenges.

The meeting between Lavrov and Tillerson was seen as a precursor to the highly anticipated meeting between Putin and Trump, which took place on July 16, 2018, at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland.