Belgian People’s Party Hopes Trump to Lift Anti-Russian Sanctions

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Belgium’s People’s Party hopes that Donald Trump as the US president will start his foreign policy with lifting sanctions against Moscow to restore the US-Russian relations, Belgian lawmaker and party member Aldo Carcaci told Sputnik.

On Monday, Putin and Trump had their first phone conversation on the US-Russia relations, the fight against terrorism, as well as the situation in Syria. They also agreed on the necessity to improve bilateral ties.

"We believe and hope that there are very good chances that it will be the first international gesture of the new Trump administration, to lift the sanctions on Russia as a gesture to normalize relations, and collaborate efficiently in Syria," Carcaci said.

On November 8, Trump managed to come ahead of his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the US presidential elections, securing 290 electoral votes. Trump's inauguration will be held on January 20, 2017. Trump has said on multiple occasions that he would look to improve relations with the Russian government.

"The West started a bad fight with Russia. We need to make a gesture to get out of it," Carcaci added.

Since 2014, relations between Russia and the United States deteriorated amid the crisis in Ukraine. Washington and its allies have introduced several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions since Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 and over Moscow's alleged involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. Russia has repeatedly refuted the allegations, warning that the Western sanctions are counterproductive and undermine global stability.