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U.S. ambassador returns to Moscow after leaving amid crisis in ties - Ifax

MOSCOW, June 24 (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan said on Thursday he had returned to Moscow after leaving the country in April amid a diplomatic crisis, the Interfax news agency reported, as relations improve slightly in the wake of last week's leader' summit.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on June 16 for talks that both leaders described as pragmatic, but not friendly. Political ties are badly strained.

"I am pleased to return to Moscow," Sullivan said. "I look forward to working with our colleagues in the Russian government to achieve our goal of a stable and predictable relationship between the United States and Russia."

The envoy said the two powers should be "open and frank" with each other on issues where they disagree.

"We should cooperate where it is in our mutual interest, and where we have disagreements - and we have significant disagreements - it is important to have an open and frank dialogue," Sullivan said in an interview with Interfax.

Sullivan left Moscow in April, saying he was travelling to Washington for consultations, four days after the Kremlin suggested that the United States recall him amid a diplomatic crisis between the two countries.

Russia had previously recalled its own ambassador to Washington after Biden said he thought Putin was a "killer", and the two countries imposed sanctions on each other.

Russia's ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, flew back to Washington earlier this week. (Writing by Polina Ivanova and Tom Balmforth; Editing by Alistair Bell)