FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam November 11, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo/File Photo
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the U.S. administration was making "sincere efforts" to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and suggested Moscow and Washington could reach a deal on nuclear arms control.
Speaking at a Kremlin meeting with Russia's most senior military and civilian officials, Putin said that he was informing them of the state of play in negotiations on Ukraine with the United States, and bilateral talks with Kyiv.
"I would like to tell you about the stage we are at with the current American administration, which, as everyone knows, is making, in my opinion, quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the fighting, end the crisis, and reach agreements of interest to all parties involved in this conflict," Putin said.
Putin said the discussions with the United States were aimed at creating "the long–term conditions of peace between our countries, in Europe, and in the world as a whole, if we reach agreements in the field of strategic offensive arms control in the next stages."
Putin is due to hold a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday.
Russia and the United States have by far the biggest arsenals of nuclear weapons in the world.
The last remaining pillar of nuclear arms control between the two countries is the New Strategic Arms Reduction (New START) treaty, which is due to expire on February 5, 2026.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Guy FaulconbridgeEditing by Andrew Osborn)
