WASHINGTON: A Russian government spokesman expressed impatience Sunday that bilateral relations with the United States have not improved more quickly since US President Donald Trump took office.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said his country鈥檚 government is eager for improved US-Russian relations, calling it 鈥渦npardonable not to be in dialogue,鈥� as Moscow presses the new US leader to make good on vows to improve ties.
鈥淲e certainly would expect our contacts to be more frequent, more in-depth, in order to sit and then talk to each other... because we had quite a significant pause in our bilateral relations,鈥� Peskov said in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN鈥檚 鈥淕PS鈥� program.
鈥淔or countries like Russia and the United States, it鈥檚 unpardonable not to be in dialogue, especially against this amount of regional and global problems that we have.鈥�
Earlier this year, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to develop relations 鈥渁s equals鈥� and establish 鈥渞eal coordination鈥� to fight the Daesh group in Syria, the Kremlin had said.
Peskov echoed that sentiment in the CNN interview, but urged the US to do more to kickstart the dialogue.
Trump is 鈥渘ot hiding the fact that he disagrees in lots of things with Russia, but he鈥檚 quite pragmatic enough to say that we have to talk,鈥� Peskov said.
鈥淲e have to compare our positions in order to find some common ground,鈥� he said.
鈥淎t the same time, he says that we have to come together and start our dialogue. And, unfortunately, we don鈥檛 have a better understanding on when this dialogue can begin.鈥�
Peskov also voiced concern over the assessment by America鈥檚 intelligence establishment that Russia interfered in the US election last year in support of Trump.
Several congressional committees, as well as US intelligence agencies and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, continue to investigate how and to what degree Moscow may have helped Trump score his completely unexpected victory over Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.
Peskov, however, decried the 鈥渉ysteria鈥� of the US political debate, and said it is hampering efforts to establish warmer relations.
鈥淲e consider it a real danger for the future of our bilateral relationship and we sincerely want to see this hysteria coming to its logic end,鈥� the Kremlin spokesman said.
Trump鈥檚 national security adviser Michael Flynn was forced to step down when it was revealed that he misled colleagues about his meetings with the Russian ambassador.
More recently, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from election-related investigations when it emerged that he too had met the Russian ambassador on two occasions, despite having told lawmakers at his Senate confirmation hearing otherwise.
Speaking on a different CNN program Sunday, Republican Senator John McCain, a top Trump critic, called for greater 鈥渟crutiny鈥� in dealing with Russia.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of aspects with this whole relationship with Russia and Vladimir Putin that requires further scrutiny, and so far I don鈥檛 think the American people have gotten all the answers,鈥� McCain said.
鈥淚n fact, I think there鈥檚 a lot of shoes to drop from this centipede.鈥�