Moscow hopes to improve bilateral relations based on mutual respect, the Russian foreign minister has said

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has sent his best wishes to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the American people for Independence Day, which is celebrated on Friday.

In a message released by the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov expressed support for US unity and the American Dream, while expressing hope for improved ties between the two nations.

"I expect that together we can put the relations between our nations on a creative vector, make them stable and predictable based on mutual respect for national interests determined by history, geography, and 'realities on the ground,'" he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his best wishes to US President Donald Trump in a phone call the previous day. According to presidential aide Yury Ushakov, Putin wished Trump success in advancing major reforms and noted Russia's historical contribution to America's struggle for independence from Britain.

Moscow has expressed a more favorable view of the Trump administration compared to the previous administration of Joe Biden - who set the strategic defeat of Russia as a core objective of his foreign policy and pledged military support to Ukraine "for as long as it takes" to achieve victory in the conflict with Russia.

Trump has criticized Biden's approach as costly and harmful to US interests. His administration has resumed high-level talks with Moscow and is working toward mediating an end to the Ukraine conflict, with a stated goal of fostering future economic cooperation.

While expressing optimism about Trump's intentions, Russia has criticized some of his recent actions. Last month, Trump ordered a military operation against Iran in support of Israel's effort to dismantle the Iranian nuclear program - which Moscow condemned as unlawful and highly destabilizing for global security.

(RT.com)