"As my president [Vladimir Putin] said and Foreign Minister Lavrov said, we, actually, really want to improve relations and are ready to go as far in the direction as our American partners are willing to go."
Stepanov recalled that US President Donald Trump was campaigning during the 2016 presidential race that the United States and Russia should restore an effective relationship.
Trump's statements have given Russian officials a reason to "remain mildly optimistic" about the prospects of rebuilding relations between the two countries, Stepanov added.
Trump has frequently stated that he intends to reestablish a partnership with Moscow on important global issues, including the fight against the Islamic State terror group, which is outlawed in Russia and the United States.
