Emotional atmosphere harms U.S.-Russian relations: Kremlin

The emotional atmosphere in the United States will harm a possible restoration of relations with Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

He made the remarks regarding a U.S. investigation into alleged contacts between U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak.

"This emotional atmosphere has led to certain opposition to the idea of establishing any dialogue with Russia. I think the negative effect is evident here," Peskov was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying.

U.S. mainstream media reported earlier this week that then-senator Sessions had spoken with Kislyak twice during Donald Trump's presidential campaign last year. Sessions has been called a "top spy and spy-recruiter" for Russia by American intelligence.

The Kremlin did not know about the meetings between Kislyak and Sessions and didn't want to get involved in this "emotionally-charged" scandal either, Peskov added.

Last month, Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security advisor, resigned for lying about improperly discussing U.S. sanctions on Russia with Kislyak before Donald Trump's inauguration.

Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to stabilize and deepen bilateral cooperation amid repeated accusations that Trump's campaign illegally coordinated with Russia. Endi