Bulgaria and the US hope the four-way talks on resolving the Ukraine crisis will generate positive results, it was announced on Thurday.

In a statement released after a meeting between caretaker Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov and US Ambassador to Bulgaria Marcie Ries the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides have highlighted Russia’s responsibility for easing tensions in Ukraine.

On Sunday, the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Germany and France reached an agreement in Berlin on the delivery of Russian humanitarian aid to eastern Ukraine. No positive results, however, were reached on a ceasefire and on the political process.

Daniel Mitov also said that Bulgaria actively supports the constructive talks between the EU and the US on signing the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). According to Mitov, the proposed trade deal is important not only because it would help boost employment and growth but also because of its geostrategic implications.

Bulgaria-US cooperation in law enforcement, defence and security also were on the agenda of the meeting.

The two sides restated their will to continue their talks on training Libyan military personnel once the situation in the North African country had stabilized enough.

Bulgaria and the US are strongly worried by the situation in Iraq and believe a strong and immediate commitment to supporting Iraqi authorities is needed from the international community as well as the other states in the region, the statement read.

The Bulgarian foreign minister strongly condemned the barbaric murder of US journalist James Foley by the Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Iraq, saying it was yet another act of cruelty by the IS.