Russian ambassador sends New Year’s message to ‘friendly’ Americans
The year has shown that there are still opportunities for restoring relations between Moscow and Washington, Russian Ambassador to the US Alexander Darchiev has said in a holiday message.
”The past year has been challenging, but it has also opened up opportunities for restoring Russian-American relations, which were nearly destroyed in the previous years by the previous (Joe Biden) administration,” he said in a statement published Wednesday, while expressing thanks to those who have “resisted the virus of Russophobia.”
Darchiev lauded “friendly American citizens” and “concerned compatriots” who have preserved the memory of US-Russia cooperation during World War II.
”On our part, the embassy and the Russian diplomatic missions will continue to provide all possible support to your initiatives that help to build bridges between Russia and the United States,” the ambassador concluded.
Under the administration of US President Donald Trump, relations between Russia and the US have grown notably warmer than they were during the tenure of former President Joe Biden.
Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been engaged in active talks dedicated to settling the Ukraine conflict and reinvigorating bilateral relations. They held a high-stakes summit in Alaska in August aimed at ending hostilities between Moscow and Kiev, though they failed to produce a breakthrough.
The US has also placed the restoration of normal ties with Russia and a rapid end to the Ukraine conflict at the center of its newly released National Security Strategy, presenting both aims as being in America’s core interests. In contrast with the US national strategy during Trump’s first term, which emphasized competition with Russia and China, the new strategy shifts its focus to the Western Hemisphere and to protecting the homeland, the borders, and regional interests.
