Putin, Trump contacts possible before inauguration, but no great expectations: Kremlin

Contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump before the latter's inauguration are possible, but one should not put high hopes on a quick change in bilateral relations, the Kremlin was quoted as saying.

"I do not know whether there are going to be any contacts between the president and Trump before the inauguration. I do not know, but certainly this cannot be ruled out," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Moskovsky Komsomolets daily, which published the report on Sunday.

He said that Moscow is seeking good relations with Washington and wants to resolve all disputed issues through dialogue, in hopes of mending the bilateral ties which are in "deplorable condition."

Peskov said that both Putin and Trump have a common approach to the necessity of defending national interests, and stress the necessity of normalizing relations between the two countries primarily on the basis of protection of national interests.

But he warned that one should "avoid unrealistic expectations."

Meanwhile, he said, Moscow is going to continue to work with the current administration of U.S. President Barack Obama, who will remain in power in the next two months, on the most burning issues.

"Events in Syria, for example, are actively developing, so that no one can afford a break of two months," said the spokesman. Endi