Sergey Lavrov said that Russia and the United States can reach common ground on nuclear arms control and other issues if each country proceeds from national interests and shows respect for the other side. Lavrov said that Moscow is inviting representatives of the incoming U.S. administration to attend Syria talks on Monday in Kazakhstan, which have been brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran. He said Russia launched its air campaign in Syria in September 2015 just in time to prevent the Islamic extremists from taking over Damascus. Lavrov rejected the allegations of Russian meddling into the U.S. elections as "absurdities" and "fakes" intended to hurt Trump. "First, officials leak fakes to the media, then media start spinning them and, finally, officials comment on them as facts," he said.

Source: ABC News January 17, 2017 08:58 UTC