Moscow has said that Russian President Vladimir in a phone call to U.S. President Donald Trump talked about stabilizing the relationship between the two nations along with several other subjects.
It was Trump's first phone conversation with the Russian President since he took office last week, and one whose outcome will be closely studied.
Some of the other issues discussed included restoring trade ties, international terrorism, the situations in Ukraine and the Korean Peninsula, and the coordination of military action against ISIS and other terrorist groups in Syria.
The Kremlin call summary didn't specifically mention U.S. sanctions against Russia. It said restoration of mutually beneficial economic ties "could further stimulate progressive and stable development of bilateral relations," according to a CNN translation of the Russian statement.
The White House called the one-hour conversation a significant start to improving a relationship "in need of repair."
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Both Trump and Putin said before the call that they would like to see warmer ties between their two nations. However, relations between the two have been under scrutiny following allegations that Moscow meddled in the US election last year.
Before speaking with Putin, Trump held a 45 minute call with Merkel and also spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Trump and Abe included discussed the threat posed by North Korea, and both leaders agreed to speak face to face in Washington on February 10.
Abe and Trump also discussed the significance of Defence Secretary James Mattis' upcoming visit to Asia, according to the White House.
Later Saturday, Trump was to speak with French President François Hollande and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
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