Tillerson says US can settle problems with Russia, avoid damaging ties

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shake hands at the State Department May 10, 2017 in Washington, DC.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Monday said the United States wants to work with Russia and it was pointless to cut off ties over their disagreements.

Discussing a meeting he held on Sunday with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Tillerson told reporters that Russia had indicated “some willingness” to talk and find ways to move forward on the thorny issue of the Ukraine.

He said he saw U.S.-Russia relations pragmatically and believed problems could be addressed, and stressed to Lavrov that Russia needed to understand that meddling in elections was a very serious issue.