Putin: meeting with British PM could be step to moving past Skripal row

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published on Thursday he believed his meeting with Britain's Theresa May at the G20 summit this week could set the two countries on the path to better relations.

He said that the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter was an issue between intelligence agencies and should not be allowed to damage relations and economic interests shared by Britain and Russia.

Speaking in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper, he said May, since she is soon to step down as British leader, may have more scope to take long-sighted decisions about repairing ties with Moscow.