Russia denies deterioration of ties with U.S.

Relations between Russia and the United States have not worsened, a presidential aide said Monday. "Claims about deterioration of Russia-U.S. relations are being imposed by those who do not see the real results of huge work done and who are not interested in the real improvement of the relations between Russia and the U.S.," Sergei Prikhodko told reporters. Those claims could be seen as an attempt to misguide the Russian and U.S. publics and divert attention from joint work in countering common challenges and sustaining strategic stability, he said. The official noted that Moscow and Washington have been discussing missile defense in a "business-like and constructive way." He said that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama would meet on the sidelines of the upcoming Group of 20 summit in Cannes, France. The Kremlin's invitation to Obama for a Russia visit remains valid, said the official.