<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin told US climate envoy John Kerry that Moscow and Washington have a shared interest in battling climate change, the Kremlin said Wednesday, in a rare area of common ground between the rivals.</p>.<p>"The climate problem is one of the areas where Russia and the United States have common interests and similar approaches," Putin said in a phone call with Kerry who is visiting Moscow, the Kremlin said in a statement.</p>.<p>Putin told the former secretary of state that Moscow "attaches great importance" to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and "advocates de-politicising" dialogue on climate change.</p>.<p>The State Department gave a similar description, saying Putin and Kerry "underscored the importance of the United States and Russia working together across a range of climate issues."</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/biden-warns-putin-to-act-against-ransomware-groups-or-face-consequences-1007016.html" target="_blank">Read | Biden warns Putin to act against ransomware groups or face consequences</a></strong></p>.<p>Kerry pointed to Russia's role in addressing climate change in the Arctic Council and efforts to end emissions fom coal, a State Department statement said.</p>.<p>The comments on a rare point of cooperation between the two countries come after Putin met US President Joe Biden for talks in Geneva last month.</p>.<p>Moscow has welcomed Kerry's visit and called it a positive step to improve relations.</p>.<p>For years Putin was notorious for his scepticism about man-made global warming and saying Russia stands to benefit from it.</p>.<p>But in recent months he has also made statements to the effect that climate change is not just a boon to Moscow.</p>.<p>Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that climate change and decarbonisation are "top of the agenda" for the Russian leader.</p>.<p>He said the climate issue is "where dialogue between Russia and America is possible and necessary".</p>.<p>Putin has made the development of Russia's Arctic region a strategic priority as its ice cover melts, opening up new shipping routes for Moscow.</p>.<p>Earlier this week, Kerry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov -- whom he met many times when he served as secretary of state -- with the pair agreeing to cooperate on climate issues.</p>.<p>At his annual state of the nation address in April, Putin said Russia must adapt to climate change and called on the country to create an industry for utilising carbon emissions.</p>.<p>Climate change is one of the few areas in which the United States and the European Union have said they are ready to engage with Russia amid high tensions over a range of issues, including Ukraine, cyber-attacks and Moscow's human rights record.</p>
<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin told US climate envoy John Kerry that Moscow and Washington have a shared interest in battling climate change, the Kremlin said Wednesday, in a rare area of common ground between the rivals.</p>.<p>"The climate problem is one of the areas where Russia and the United States have common interests and similar approaches," Putin said in a phone call with Kerry who is visiting Moscow, the Kremlin said in a statement.</p>.<p>Putin told the former secretary of state that Moscow "attaches great importance" to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and "advocates de-politicising" dialogue on climate change.</p>.<p>The State Department gave a similar description, saying Putin and Kerry "underscored the importance of the United States and Russia working together across a range of climate issues."</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/biden-warns-putin-to-act-against-ransomware-groups-or-face-consequences-1007016.html" target="_blank">Read | Biden warns Putin to act against ransomware groups or face consequences</a></strong></p>.<p>Kerry pointed to Russia's role in addressing climate change in the Arctic Council and efforts to end emissions fom coal, a State Department statement said.</p>.<p>The comments on a rare point of cooperation between the two countries come after Putin met US President Joe Biden for talks in Geneva last month.</p>.<p>Moscow has welcomed Kerry's visit and called it a positive step to improve relations.</p>.<p>For years Putin was notorious for his scepticism about man-made global warming and saying Russia stands to benefit from it.</p>.<p>But in recent months he has also made statements to the effect that climate change is not just a boon to Moscow.</p>.<p>Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that climate change and decarbonisation are "top of the agenda" for the Russian leader.</p>.<p>He said the climate issue is "where dialogue between Russia and America is possible and necessary".</p>.<p>Putin has made the development of Russia's Arctic region a strategic priority as its ice cover melts, opening up new shipping routes for Moscow.</p>.<p>Earlier this week, Kerry met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov -- whom he met many times when he served as secretary of state -- with the pair agreeing to cooperate on climate issues.</p>.<p>At his annual state of the nation address in April, Putin said Russia must adapt to climate change and called on the country to create an industry for utilising carbon emissions.</p>.<p>Climate change is one of the few areas in which the United States and the European Union have said they are ready to engage with Russia amid high tensions over a range of issues, including Ukraine, cyber-attacks and Moscow's human rights record.</p>