Kremlin spokesman points to common interests of Moscow and Washington

Moscow and Washington have some common interests, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. At the same time, he did not give a clear answer when asked if Russia could become a friend of the United States.

"Of course, (Moscow and Washington) have some common interests, there are also differences and opposing views," Peskov said. In his opinion, this is "a normal practice".

"We have heard (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump make various statements, we are waiting with patience for some actions to follow words so that we could understand where we are at," the Kremlin spokesman added. In his address to Congress, Trump said that "America is willing to find new friends and to forge new partnerships where shared interests align."

When speaking on the possible fields of Russian-U.S. cooperation, the Kremlin spokesman mentioned the war on terror.

"Cooperation in the war on terror comes first, this is what Putin and Trump discussed in their latest telephone conversation when Putin called Trump to congratulate him on his inauguration," Peskov said.

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According to him, "everyone is likely to agree that all countries should cooperate in order to facilitate the fight against terrorism."

"In any case, it is impossible to effectively combat terrorism if the most powerful countries, such as the U.S. and Russia, do not cooperate," the Russian presidential aid noted.

The Kremlin is not surprised by the fact the Trump did not mention Russia in his address to Congress. "No, it was no surprise. "He (Trump) is president of the United States of America, so it is natural that he tackles the American issues," Peskov said adding that in Russia, "Putin tackles the Russian issues." "This is completely normal," the Kremlin spokesman said.

Source: TASS