Vladimir Putin says relations with US must be based on equality

Moscow: Russia is ready for cooperation with the United States, provided it is based on respect for each others' interests and non-interference in domestic affairs, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

"We are ready for practical cooperation with our American partners in different fields, based on the principles of respect for each others' interests, equal rights and non-interference in internal matters," Putin told a Kremlin ceremony at which he received the credentials of the new U.S. ambassador, John Tefft.

Ties with the United States are strained, particularly by differences over the crisis in Ukraine.