Medvedev says in 'good relationship' with Obama despite Russia-US rift

NAYPYIDAW, November 13. /TASS/. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday he and US President Barack Obama maintain good personal relations despite the current tensions between the United States and Russia over Ukraine. “Relations have a personal side and an intergovernmental side. As for personal relations, naturally, we exchanged our best wishes and gave best regards to families,” Medvedev told journalists about his meetings with Obama at the East Asia summit in Myanmar. Medvedev and Obama had brief talks which lasted for several minutes. They also had an opportunity to speak with each other at an official dinner which Myanmar President Thein Sein gave. “This is a normal practice,” the Russian prime minister said. “In fact, I have known him for a long time,” he added. Medvedev said that “there was naturally no full-fledged discussion at such an event as a summit.” Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin briefly met with Obama on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Beijing. The leaders discussed bilateral ties and events in Ukraine, Syria and Iran. “Of course, we discuss some details, but this is probably not the format which can result in settling all the existing problems,” Medvedev said in comments to the meeting. Medvedev noted that the United States should take the first step to improve Russian-US relations. “To overcome current problems it is necessary to lift sanctions, shift relations in working field, come back to normal, calm and productive talks, then everything will stabilize,” Medvedev told reporters. He could not say when this may happen. “This does not depend on us, because we did not impose sanctions,” he added. In the interview with CNBC TV channel in mid-October, Medvedev said resetting Russian-US relations is impossible as long as sanctions against Russia are in effect. Medvedev, who formerly served as Russian president, and Obama announced a “reset” in relations between Russia and the US in 2009, shortly after the US leader assumed office. Relations between Russia and the West have deteriorated amid the Ukrainian crisis, as the US and the EU imposed economic sanctions against Russia, and Moscow responded with a ban on food imports from countries that sanctioned it. The West accuses Russia of aiding militias in eastern Ukraine, while Moscow has repeatedly denied the claims condemning Kiev’s operation as war against Ukraine’s own people. Read more