Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, and Sergei Lavrov, her Russian opposite number, on Friday pledged to conclude an ambitious news arms control deal by the end of the year in a sign of both countries’ desire to set their relationship on a new path after the tensions of the Bush administration years.

After a day largely spent wooing Europeans in Brussels, Mrs Clinton emphasised the Obama administration’s desire to work with partners throughout the continent. She was looking forward to co-operating with Russia on a wide range of fronts ahead of a summit between presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev next month in London.