A spokeswoman from Downing Street has confirmed that Prime Minister Theresa May has been in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with both parties pledging to improve ties.
According to the spokesperson, both May and Putin agreed that co-operation on aviation security was a vital part of efforts to fight terrorism.
The news comes as the pair are due to meet at the G20 summit of world leaders in China in September, with the relationship between the UK and Russia strained.
The Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The prime minister noted the importance of the relationship between the UK and Russia and expressed the hope that, despite differences on certain issues, they could communicate in an open and honest way about the issues that mattered most to them.
"The prime minister and president agreed that British and Russian citizens faced common threats from terrorism, and that co-operation on aviation security in particular was a vital part of the international counter-terrorism effort."
