Condoleezza Rice has told the Russian President that if US troops were responsible for a gun attack on a Russian convoy in Iraq yesterday, no harm was intended.
A US official told AFP that this did not mean the Americans had taken responsibility for the incident, in which five people - including the Russian Ambassador to Iraq - were slightly injured.
During the attack, which is unexplained at the moment, ammunition was fired at the convoy of diplomats and journalists as it left Baghdad.
The US National Security Adviser met Vladimir Putin in Moscow during a day of hastily-arranged talks which also included the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.
As Ms Rice left today's talks with the ministers, she said they had been 'very good', but did not say whether yesterday's incident had been discussed.
Russia has remained opposed to the war on Iraq, but in recent days President Vladimir Putin had made steps towards improving relations. Today, Ms Rice assured the Russian leader that Washington was committed to maintaining friendly relations with his country.
Russian ambassador to Iraq, Vladimir Titorenko, today accused US forces of deliberately shooting on the convoy. Mr Titorenko's arm was slightly wounded in yesterday's incident.
The convoy travelled on to Syria today, though the wounded driver and one other member of the embassy staff stayed behind in an Iraqi hospital.
