Story highlights Rex Tillerson: "The US will stand up for the interests and values of America and her allies"

United States expects Russia to work to deescalate violence in Ukraine, he said

Bonn, Germany (CNN) US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Thursday the United States "will consider working with Russia" when practical but will stand up for US and allies' interests when the two nations disagree, after his first meeting with his Russian counterpart.

The meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Bonn, Germany, comes at a time of strained US-Russian relations and turmoil in Washington as the new Trump administration finds its feet.

Tillerson's remarks, made in a brief on-camera statement after the meeting, may go some way to reassure US allies.

"As I made clear in my Senate confirmation hearing, the United States will consider working with Russia when we can find areas of practical cooperation that will benefit the American people," Tillerson said.

"Where we do not see eye to eye, the United States will stand up for the interests and values of America and her allies. As we search for new common ground, we expect Russia to honor its commitment to the Minsk Agreements and work to deescalate the violence in the Ukraine."

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