WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday talks between two senior U.S. and Russian diplomats on Monday on areas of mutual concern were “tough, forthright, and deliberate, reflecting both parties’ commitment to a resolution.”

It said the talks between U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov “reflected a spirit of goodwill, but it is clear that more work needs to be done.”