Putin, Kerry pledge to get ties back on track

Russia and the United States vowed to improve strained ties on Tuesday after "frank" talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and top US diplomat John Kerry, but there was no concrete breakthrough after eight hours of meetings.

Kerry's trip to the Black Sea resort of Sochi was the highest level US visit to Russia since the Ukraine crisis erupted in late 2013.

The Kremlin did not qualify talks of President Putin and Kerry as a breakthrough, but as first signs of understanding that the two great powers should get their relations back on track, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said, according to Tass.