You're reading: State Dept sees Lavrov’s talks in US as positive step, notes differences over Ukraine

The United States Department of State regards the meetings held by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and President Donald Trump as a positive step, but differences, especially over Ukraine, remain between the two countries, U.S. Department of State spokesman Joshua Baker told Interfax on May 11.

On Ukraine State Secretary Tillerson stressed the need for progress towards full implementation of the Minsk agreements, Baker said.

The economic sanctions imposed on Russia will remain in place until Moscow has reversed the actions that prompted their imposition, the U.S. diplomat said.

At the same time, while Tillerson and Lavrov were meeting with President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence was meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlov Klimkin and pledged steady U.S. support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, full support for the Minsk process and both Minsk agreements, the U.S. State Department official said.