Putin, May to meet at G20 after spy scandal

Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet in Japan this week

MOSCOW (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet in Japan this week for the first time since the row over the poisoning of a former Russian spy, both sides said Wednesday.

The meeting, at the G20 summit in the western Japanese city of Osaka, will take place on Friday, said Putin s top foreign policy advisor Yury Ushakov.

Earlier this month, Putin said it was time to "turn the page" on the countries  difficult relationship after the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal in the English city of Salisbury last year.

Ushakov said Moscow would welcome a breakthrough in relations with London.

"The leaders will discuss sensitive issues, and a lot of them have accumulated in our ties," he told reporters.

"If any opportunities can be found to build cooperation anew we would only welcome this."

In London, May s Downing Street office confirmed the meeting but said it did not represent a normalisation of relations with Moscow.

"We remain open to a different relationship but that can only happen if Russia desists from actions which undermine international treaties and collective security," her spokesman said.

The two leaders last met for formal talks on the sidelines of a G20 summit in China in 2016.

But the March 2018 poisoning of the former Russian spy and double agent Skripal, which the UK has blamed on Russia, led to dozens of tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions and a breakdown in already fragile ties between Moscow and London.

Russia has repeatedly denied any part in his killing.

Earlier this month, in a clear sign he was ready to move on, Putin said: "Global issues related to national interests in the economic and social spheres and global security are more important than games of security services."

London said then that a new relationship would only be possible following changes from Moscow.

Britain is waiting to find out who its next leader will be as May prepares to step down.

Her former foreign minister, Boris Johnson, is the favourite in a contest against his successor Jeremy Hunt, which will be decided by the membership of the governing Conservative party.

The winner will be announced on July 23, and will formally take office on July 24.

Putin has expressed hope that relations could improve under a new prime minister in Britain, suggesting the new leader should think about British companies operating in Russia.

Economic ties between the two countries have suffered over the past year. Trade turnover between January and April dropped by almost 15 percent to $4 billion, the Kremlin said.

"On the whole, large British companies who are among world leaders in their industries continue to be consistently in favour of strengthening cooperation with Russian partners," said Ushakov.

Skripal sold secrets to Britain and moved there after a 2010 spy swap.

Last year, he and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent, the first use of chemical weapons in Europe since World War II.

London says the attempted assassination was "almost certainly" approved by the Russian state.

The case has strong echoes of the poisoning of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko in Britain in 2006.