Tillerson's trip to Moscow represented the highest-level contact between the USA and Russian Federation since Trump took office in January. He said U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is considering the request.
Only weeks ago, it appeared that Mr Trump, who praised Mr Putin throughout the U.S. election campaign, was poised for a potentially historic rapprochement with Russian Federation. However, this appears impossible with the recent confrontations between the countries over Syria, and the ongoing investigations of Russia's alleged interference in the U.S. presidential elections. "Frankly, Putin is backing a person that's truly an evil person". "It may be just the opposite".
Calling for an "objective and unbiased probe" into the chemical attack in Syria, Lavrov said Russian Federation has no intention to shield anyone responsible for the incident and repeated Russia's view that the Syrian government was not responsible for the attack.
Trump's comments come as his administration had slammed Russia's support for Syrian leader President Bashar al-Assad and questioned the Kremlin's interference in elections in Montenegro.
While the USA has put responsibility for the attack that killed more than 80 people squarely with Assad, Russia believes it was the work of terrorists, with Putin claiming more chemical attacks are on the way in Syria created to frame the Assad regime.
Separately on Wednesday, the U.S. said there are credible reports that Russian Federation attempted to interfere in elections last October in Montenegro, which formally became a member of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation this week.
Not long before Trump spoke, Russian Federation vetoed a Western-backed United Nations resolution that would have condemned the chemical weapons attack and demanded a speedy investigation. "I didn't think that was a good sign".
Russian Federation had also strongly objected to a USA strike against the Syrian air base.
The Syrian government forces were caught on the intercepts consulting chemical experts just hours before the atrocious assault last Tuesday, a senior US official told CNN.
Champions League: Monaco Beat Borussia Dortmund Day After Bus Attack
In a few days, we will not have digested completely but time helps us to find a solution. I know we earn a lot of money and have a privileged life but we are human beings.
He said: "Clearly our view is that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end and they have again brought this on themselves with their conduct in the war over these past few years".
Lavrov blasted USA claims that it has "irrefutable evidence" of election interference.
"It's deplorable, and we regret what is going on, but we can do little except asking to back accusations with facts", Lavrov said.
"We know they have the expertise". Syria denied the government's involvement in the incident, but the United States carried out a missile attack on the Syrian government's airbase of Ash Sha'irat, claiming, with no evidence provided, that the chemical attack was launched from there.
Still, Mr Tillerson sought to stress the positives from his meetings.
Russian Federation said the USA strike was illegal though and Lavrov repeated Moscow's stance on Wednesday, saying an worldwide investigation should be left to determine who was to blame and what happened.
This warning comes on the heels of a chemical weapons attack earlier this month that killed more than 80 people in Syria. And he suggested that possible war crimes charges could be levied against the Syrian leader. Western leaders backed the USA action, saying Assad had brought it on himself.
While the most immediate U.S.
Comments