Russia is ready to begin defrosting relations with the United States, but this process will not be rapid. This was stated by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. At the same time, he stressed that in recent years the "frozen" relations between our two countries have turned out to be "precisely the efforts of Americans". "The temperature in them fell by a few tens below zero. From this frost we will probably leave for quite some time. We are ready for the relevant work, of course, with the understanding that there will not be any additional complicating moments from the United States, "Ryabkov said.. Commenting on information on the CIA's assistance to Russian intelligence in preventing a terrorist attack in St. Petersburg, the diplomat called it an outstanding example of cooperation between law enforcement agencies and special services of the US and Russia. Although, the Russian diplomat points out, these are only "occasional isolated cases of normal work and efficient work, and every situation that unfolds as a plus for our relations seems to be something out of the ordinary, unusual, it is also a sign of ill health in relations". He expressed gratitude to the Americans for what they "did as they should in a similar situation," and assured that Russia "will continue to act in similar circumstances in the future, God forbid that they will not exist". Encouraging signals from the White House in the field of relations between Washington and Moscow saw the head of the international committee of the Council of Federation Konstantin Kosachev.

He cited as an example two telephone conversations over the week of US President Donald Trump with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and information sent to the CIA about the preparation of the terrorist attack in the northern capital. According to him, even in such a "limited and semi-official format" we can state an improvement in relations. "For the fact that good news for our countries, for opponents of Trump himself, is an occasion for the next hints of" too warm "ties with Russia," said Kosachev.

Earlier today, the US ambassador in Moscow, John Huntsman, said that Washington's assistance in preventing the terrorist attack in St. Petersburg is a "small example" of the potential that Russia-US relations have. Recall, on December 17, Putin, in a telephone conversation, thanked Trump for the information he had transmitted from the CIA, thanks to which our intelligence services covered a cell of terrorists who were preparing explosions in St. Petersburg, including the Kazan Cathedral.