Russia says normalising ties with US will require lifting sanctions on Moscow

MOSCOW, March 4 (Reuters) - Russia said on Tuesday that any normalisation of relations with the United States would require the lifting of sanctions against Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was responding to a question about a Reuters report that said the United States is drawing up a plan to potentially give Russia sanctions relief as President Donald Trump seeks to restore ties with Moscow and stop the war in Ukraine.

"It is probably too early to say anything. We have not heard any official statements, but in any case, our attitude towards sanctions is well known, we consider them illegal," Peskov said.

"And, of course, if we talk about normalising bilateral relations, they need to be freed from this negative burden of so-called sanctions."

The U.S. and other Western countries have imposed waves of sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine.

The Reuters report quoted a U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter as saying the White House has asked the State and Treasury departments to draft a list of sanctions that could be eased for U.S. officials to discuss with Russian representatives in the coming days.