President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman is voicing hope that Donald Trump’s administration will improve relations between the U.S. and Russia.

Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that “a dialogue with the United States has been frozen on practically all levels.”

Peskov told Mir TV that the Kremlin expects the new U.S. administration to take a “fresher and more constructive approach,” while cautioning against “excessive optimism.” He warned that Washington would be unlikely to reverse such moves as the deployment of NATO’s forces near Russian borders.

Peskov added that any U.S. president will protect American interests, as Russia defends its own.

U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby responded by saying that the dialogue has continued despite differences, stressing that “diplomatic engagement with Russia continues across a wide range of issues.”

(AP)