Moscow awaits U.S. response for Putin's letter to Obama

Russia is waiting for a response from U.S. President Barack Obama over the letter his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has sent, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.

"Obama has sent a message to Putin. The Russian president has read it and he'll send back his considerations over the key problems of our relations, including anti-missile defense, strategic stability and all the factors which affect it." Lavrov said in an interview published on the ministry's website.

"We'll wait a reaction on our answer," he added.

The minister also said Putin and Obama are expected to meet on the sidelines of the G8 summit before the U.S. president's visit to Moscow.

"The dialogue has not been disappeared," Lavrov said, referring to the Russia-U.S. agreement to start the 2+2 (Foreign and Defense ministers) talks.

The two countries have already drafted a schedule of their contacts till the end of the year, he added.