Russia hopes for improving ties with US after Putin-Trump Alaska summit

MOSCOW - Russia hopes that the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump could help normalize bilateral relations, the Russian daily Izvestia reported Tuesday, citing Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

Ryabkov said that the Alaska summit could also help advance the resolution of specific issues, including the resumption of direct passenger flights between the two countries.

"We hope that the forthcoming high-level meeting will give an impulse to the normalization of bilateral relations, which will allow us to move forward on such issues as restoring air links," Ryabkov said.

Trump said Monday that his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday would be a "feel-out meeting." Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov called the choice of venue "logical," noting that the region is where the economic interests of both countries intersect.