The Kremlin said Wednesday it was optimistic about talks with the United States during a visit by US State Department number three Victoria Nuland, but warned against holding out for any breakthroughs.
Nuland and other US officials are in Russia on a three-day visit during a crisis in ties between Moscow and Washington.
Their discussions on Tuesday with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, including on restoring staffing levels at embassies, ended without any progress.
But President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said Wednesday it was important to keep talking nonetheless.
"We believe these kinds of meetings are timely and necessary," Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "This is a positive development in our bilateral ties."
"One should not fret that it's impossible to achieve some breakthrough instantaneously," Peskov said.
He invoked Greek mythology to compare the task of mending bilateral ties to cleaning "the Augean Stables," meaning a difficult endeavour.
"They cannot be cleared out at once, but certainly such contacts are needed."
In Washington, the State Department said Tuesday that the two sides agreed to keep up lower-level talks, despite a lack of progress.
Joe Biden has increased pressure on Putin since becoming US president in January. In May, Russia formally designated the United States an "unfriendly state".
Known for her tough line on Moscow, Nuland was allowed into Russia despite previously having been placed on a sanctions list.
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