Moscow expects that the US side will show readiness for a substantive discussion at talks on Thursday between Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev and US National Security Adviser John Bolton, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS on Wednesday.

"We don’t think we will manage to reverse this tendency soon and put relations on an even keel and some normal track, but we will be pursuing this. From this point of view, tomorrow’s meeting has substantial significance," the diplomat said.

"We expect from the American side at least readiness to hold a substantive discussion and not just repeat their own arguments without listening to what the Russian side says to this respect and how it reacts, if not a constructive response," the senior diplomat said.

Patrushev and Bolton will meet in Geneva on August 23. They are expected to discuss strategic stability, regional security, the situation in Syria and Ukraine, as well as bilateral relations.