Chairman of the State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov and U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Tefft met in the State Duma on Thursday to discuss possible ways to improve relations between Moscow and Washington.

Chairman of the State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Alexei Pushkov and U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Tefft met in the State Duma on Thursday to discuss possible ways to improve relations between Moscow and Washington.

"The following issues were discussed: whether it is possible to improve Russian-American relations in the current situation, amid the sides' obvious drastic split on interests and approaches toward the Ukrainian crisis and European security; areas where the interests of Russia and the U.S. intersect, as well as whether cooperation would be possible in these areas in light of the general political confrontation between Moscow and Washington; prospects of an agreement on the Iranian nuclear program; the need to implement the Minsk agreements [for Ukraine], etc," the committee said in a press release.

"The parties also noted the destructive effect being caused by 'Cold War-'style rhetoric to bilateral relations," it said.

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