Kerry says U.S.-Russian relationship experiencing "challenging moments"
Aug. 9 - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as part of scaled back talks between the two countries which are at their lowest political mood since the end of the Cold War. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).
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ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) STORY: Secretary of State John Kerry likened relations betweeen the U.S. and Russia to hockey, with its "colliding and conflicting interests" as he met with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Washington on Friday (August 9). The meeting, which also included Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu took place even though the political mood between their countries has hit one of its lowest points since the end of the Cold War. Obama's move came after Putin gave asylum to former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden, whose public flight after revealing U.S. surveillance programs was a major embarrassment for Washington. Senior U.S. officials have stressed the need to keep up cooperation with Moscow. Moscow and Washington disagree over a long list of issues, from Syria's civil war to human rights and Russia's ban on homosexual "propaganda," but there are some areas, critical to global security, where they have been able to work together.