Russia, US agree to boost strategic stability dialogue

Russia and the United States have agreed to hold talks on strategic stability including on reduction of strategic offensive weapons.

"In discussing bilateral relations, Sergey Lavrov and Rex Tillerson agreed to bolster a dialogue on topical issues in the sphere of strategic stability. The interlocutors agreed to stay in close contact," the Russian news agency TASS quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying.

"Naturally, we pointed to all the matters on our bilateral agenda that really harm [Russian-US] relations," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said and added, "We once again stressed that cooperation on international issues of interest for the Americans is seriously impeded because the sphere of bilateral relations is dominated by a persistent course towards their deliberate frustration."

The comments came after Lavrov engaged in a telephonic conversation with the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

On December 7, the two leaders met on the sidelines of the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) Ministerial Council meeting in Vienna, the report said.