July 5, 2014 -- Updated 0123 GMT (0923 HKT)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday he hoped for better ties
with the United States in a July Fourth message to his U.S. counterpart,
President Barack Obama. FULL STORY
Putin wishes Obama happy July Fourth, calls for closer ties
July 4, 2014 -- Updated 1458 GMT (2258 HKT)
Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 summit in 2012 in Los Cabos, Mexico.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Russia's Vladimir Putin says he wants to see the "successful development" of the relationship
- He says U.S.-Russia relations should be based on mutual respect and understanding
- Ukraine crisis has heightened tensions between Russia and the United States
The Independence Day
wishes come at a time when relations between the two nations are at
their lowest ebb since the Cold War, fueled by tensions over Russia's
actions in Ukraine.
According to the Kremlin
website, Putin "expressed a hope for the successful development of the
relationship between both countries, based on equal rights and
utilitarianism, despite all the difficulties and disagreements they are
facing at the moment."
Putin also said that
since the two nations are responsible for global security, they "should
cooperate in the interests of not just their own people, but the entire
world."
He urged the building of a bilateral relationship based on "mutual respect" and understanding of each other's interests.
Poroshenko says he's ready for peace deal
Clinton: I made a connection with Putin
Putin, Obama face to face in France
Moscow has repeatedly
complained that the West has not taken its legitimate interests in
Ukraine into consideration or treated it as an equal partner.
The White House gave a muted response to Putin's gesture.
"We've seen the message but have no particular comment," said National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden.
The United States and
European Union have imposed targeted economic sanctions on Russian
individuals and companies in response to Moscow's actions in Ukraine.
Russia annexed Ukraine's
Crimea region in March despite condemnation from the West. Its amassing
of troops along the border with Ukraine has led to heightened tensions.
The EU and the United
States have repeatedly warned Moscow that more economic sanctions could
be imposed if it doesn't act to defuse the crisis.
In a bid to end the
pro-Russia separatist unrest roiling the east of his country, Ukraine's
new President Petro Poroshenko has proposed a peace plan that calls for
the rebels to lay down their arms and engage in talks. He also urged the
strengthening of Ukraine-Russia border controls, the freeing of
hostages and changes to the Ukrainian Constitution to decentralize
power.
NATO chief Anders Fogh
Rasmussen urged Moscow last week "to create conditions for the
implementation of the peace plan, to end its support for separatist
troops, and to stop the flow of weapons and fighters across its border."
CNN's Alla Eshchenko reported from Moscow, and Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London. CNN's Athena Jones contributed to this report.
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