Moscow to Resume Dialogue with US as Soon as Washington Is Prepared: Lavrov

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed disappointment over President Trump's decision not to cancelled their planned meeting at the G20 in Argentina, saying the two countries have much to talk about on issues including nuclear strategic stability in light of the US talk of pulling out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

"US National Security Advisor to the president John Bolton has approached Yuri Ushakov, Assistant to the Russian President on foreign policy issues, and confirmed that the US side would like to resume and normalize dialogue," Lavrov said, during an interview with Russian television, Sputnik reported.

"We are ready for this as soon as our colleagues are," Lavrov noted.

Asked whether he had met with his US counterpart Mike Pompeo at the G20, which concluded in Buenos Aires on Saturday, Lavrov said that he did not. "No, naturally, I did not chase after him. He did not approach me."

"To be honest, I don't even know if he was there or not, because I didn't see the entire US delegation," Lavrov added.

Asked when the next meeting between Putin and Trump can be expected, the Russian foreign minister said he didn't know, and that the wouldn't even venture to guess. He added that he could not rule out that last Sunday's incident in the Kerch Strait, which saw Russia detain three Ukrainian Navy ships and two dozen sailors after they violated Russian maritime borders, may have just been a pretext.

"I am not a supporter of conspiracy theories and all kinds of conspirational speculation. But lately there have been too many coincidences of instances when, on the eve significant events, some kind of provocation suddenly occurs, which is then immediately used to intensify sanctions rhetoric," Lavrov stressed.

Commenting on the present situation in Syria, the Russian foreign minister accused the United States of trying to play the "Kurdish card" east of the Euphrates River, saying this "game" was very dangerous.

"Part of the [US's] actions east of the Euphrates and in other areas of Syria, where they have their Special Forces and advisors, is playing the 'Kurdish card'. This is a very dangerous game, given the urgency of the Kurdish issue in a number of countries in the region — not only in Syria, but also Iraq, Iran, and of course Turkey," Lavrov explained.

According to the foreign minister, it is becoming "obvious" that the Western powers involved in the Syrian conflict have no alternative strategy.

This was evidenced by the fact that the United States has engaged in "trying to form quasi-state structures" in Kurdish-controlled territories, "pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into rebuilding these areas so that people could resume normal, peaceful lives, while refusing to restore the infrastructure in territories controlled by the Syrian government," Lavrov said.