Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will hold a 4-hour meeting in Pentagon on Wednesday to discuss bilateral military cooperation.
Serdyukov is on a three-day official visit to the United States, which is viewed as the next step in the development of bilateral ties in line with the agreements reached by Moscow and Washington during the presidential summit in June.
"The sides are planning to discuss various aspects of ongoing military reforms in both countries, the ways to develop closer cooperation in the military sphere, and the most urgent issues of global and regional security," said Lt. Col. Irina Kovalchuk, the Russian minister's press secretary.
On Thursday, Serdyukov will visit the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis near Washington.
Russia-U.S. relations improved after incumbent U.S. President Barack Obama came into office in 2009 and then visited Russia. In April 2010, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a pact to replace the START 1 strategic arms reduction treaty which expired on December 5, 2009.
The new treaty is seen as an important part of efforts to reset relations between the two countries.
However, the planned placement of U.S. missile defenses in Eastern Europe, close to the Russian borders, remains "an apple of discord" in bilateral relations.
MOSCOW/WASHINGTON, September 15 (RIA Novosti)
