Russia to allow US weapon shipments to Afghanistan

By The Associated Press

MOSCOW — A Kremlin aide says Russia will allow the U.S. to ship weapons across its territory to Afghanistan.

President Dmitry Medvedev's foreign policy adviser Sergei Prikhodko said Medvedev and President Barack Obama are expected to sign a deal on the issue during their summit next week in Moscow.

Russia has been allowing the U.S. to ship non-lethal goods across its territory to help operations in Afghanistan. Prikhodko said the expected deal would enable the U.S. to ship lethal cargoes and would include shipments by air and land.

It is a significant goodwill gesture from the Kremlin before the summit, which both nations hope will put long-troubled ties back on track.