Heather Nauert

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu agreed on Friday to try to resolve a series of disputes, after relations between the NATO allies sank to their lowest point in decades.

The US State Department has expressed its support to Greece after its decision on Wednesday to expel two Russian diplomats who are accused of meddling in the country's domestic affairs and trying to whip up opposition to the name deal with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia which will allow it to join NATO.

The US State Department has backed a decision by Greece to expel two Russian officials for trying to bribe officials and foment demonstrations to thwart a deal to allow the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to join NATO.

"We support Greece defending its sovereignty. Russia must end its destabilizing behavior," tweeted State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert.

The US State Department said on Tuesday it deplored the new prison leave granted by Greek authorities to convicted November 17 hitman Dimitris Koufodinas, saying terrorists should not "get a vacation."

"We would once again like to condemn the release of a convicted terrorist," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert told journalists at regular press briefing on Tuesday.

Cyprus was on the agenda at a meeting in Washington between Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias and US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell. Kotzias also met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on May 17 that Turkey recalling its ambassador from Washington is not likely to affect the relations between the two countries. 

President Donald Trump appeared to signal the withdrawal 'very soon" of U.S. troops from Syria on Thursday, surprising the Pentagon and State Department.

US State Department announced Thursday that the US may be taking additional actions in response to Russia ordering the expulsion of 60 US diplomats by April 5.

The State Department noted that there was "no justification" for Russia's response and that it shouldn't act "like a victim."

They accused Russia of developing "destabilizing nuclear weapons in violation of its treaty obligations."

Montenegrin police said on Thursday that the man who threw a grenade into the US embassy compound in Podgorica and then killed himself had no criminal record and that the attack was not an act of terrorism.

The US State Department also said on Thursday that it doesn't believe that an attack on the American embassy in Montenegro "is part of an ongoing threat".