MOSCOW, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Moscow is ready to cooperate with the West if it abandons attempts to deter Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday in a statement following a meeting of its senior officials.
"Russia is open for work, including with the new U.S. Administration, provided there is the understanding that equal and fair interaction is possible only on the grounds of renouncing attempts to restrain Russia, non-interference in internal affairs and respect for each other's interests," the ministry said in the statement as its collegium convened to analyze Russia-West relations and prospects for their development.
It said that common challenges facing the international community, including the threat of international terrorism, clearly demonstrated "the vital need to rectify the current abnormal situation and to return to constructive cooperation."
The ministry said it expected that "objective interests" of western partners would make them realize the collective responsibility for maintaining strategic stability in the world, as well as admit that the solution of international problems was only possible through joint efforts.
Russia-U.S. relations have been attracting great attention since Trump's triumph in the U.S. presidential election last year, as the top leaders of both countries have implied the willingness to build rapprochement. However, no actual progress has been seen on talks between Moscow and Washington since Trump's inauguration in January.