Amid escalating tensions, US-Russia agree to cooperate on climate change

United States special envoy for Climate John Kerry met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on July 12 as part of his four-day visit to Moscow. Both the leaders expressed hope that climate change talks could help in reducing escalating tensions between the two nations. Lavrov said that Kerry's visit sends a positive step for the development of bilateral relations. 

US Russia talks on climate change

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia gives importance to the issues that are related to climate change. He added that Russia will continue to cooperate with other nations on climate change issues, according to AP. Lavrov further said that Kerry's visit sends an important signal for de-escalating tensions between the two nations and doing professional work in the areas where the two countries share a common interest. Lavrov said that Russia hoped for close cooperation on climate issues ahead of the UN climate change conference scheduled to take place in Glasgow, Scotland.

US special envoy for climate John Kerry said that he believed that there was "space" for the two nations to collaborate on climate change issues, according to AP. Kerry added that in the past the two leaders had negotiated on chemical weapons and he feels the issue of climate change is as important as any of those others. Kerry expressed hope that climate change talks could act as a springboard to help alleviate tensions between the two nations. In April, Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the international climate summit hosted by American President Joe Biden. 

"We spent years, you and I, negotiating on worse. We negotiated on chemical weapons, we negotiated on nuclear weapons. I would say to you without any reservation, this is absolutely as critical, as compelling, as urgent an issue, as any of those others," AP quoted Kerry as saying. 

IMAGE: AP

Inputs from AP