Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry exchanged jokes on their ages after Kerry wished Lavrov on his birthday.
Kerry joked that Lavrov looked “terrific for 39”, and Lavrov retorted that if wisdom was measured in birthdays he felt like he was still lagging behind him.
The US diplomat was in Moscow to discuss the fragile truce in Syria and international efforts against the Islamic State group in the wake of the attacks in Brussels.
He will meet President Vladimir Putin later in the day.
Lavrov said the key to successful cooperation between the US and Russia in the past was following the balance of interests and should that method be maintained, the two countries can have “a good future ahead”.