MOSCOW ��Russia hopes its ties with the U.S. can go back to normal after the American presidential election, regardless of who wins, President Vladimir Putin said Sunday.
While Democrat Hillary Clinton so far is aggressive toward Russia and Republican Donald Trump wants cooperation, the Kremlin is not ruling out the possibility that the candidates' positions will change when one of them becomes the U.S. president, Putin said. He spoke after meeting with leaders of Brazil, China, India and South Africa in the Indian state of Goa.
"If our partners in the United States intend to work with us, we will," Putin said. "I hope that when the debate is over, this difficult period in the United States' internal political life is over, there'll be a chance to restore relations between Russia and the U.S."
Relations between the two former Cold War rivals have worsened since the collapse of a Syrian cease-fire agreement, with the U.S. accusing Russia of war crimes in the Middle Eastern country and of cyberwarfare aimed at influencing the U.S. election.
Russia has no influence on the U.S. vote, Putin said. He suggested the accusations are hypocritical, given Russia's experience seeing American authorities "spying on everyone and eavesdropping on everyone," Putin said.
U.S.-led airstrikes in northern Iraq endanger civilians and one can see the "obvious parallel" here with Russia's moves in Syria, Putin said. Yet, Russia doesn't plan to be "hysterical" about them, he said.
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(Elena Mazneva contributed to this report.)
