"Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak said this week that his country's work with President Trump's administration is "unfolding uneasily."
Kislyak's remarks come as Trump prepares for a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit on Friday.
"Work with Donald Trump's administration is unfolding uneasily," Kislyak told a Russian news outlet this week, according to the Washington Examiner.
"There are always opportunities for positive turnarounds," Kislyak said. "What is needed is the resolve not to miss such opportunities. Let's see what the U.S. will do for the meeting."
The U.S. passed a near-unanimous set of sanctions against Russia last month for its interference in the 2016 election, as well as its military actions in the ongoing Syrian civil war.
Russian officials strongly criticized Trump for authorizing an airstrike against Russian-backed regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime for using chemical weapons against his own people in the war.
"Sometimes, you are surprised at the ease with which the American establishment is ready to sacrifice normalcy in our relations," Kislyak said about the U.S and Russia.
"It's hard to count on a quick and easy way to normalization: there are too many people who want to hinder its advance," he continued. "The new sanctions are another headache." (The Hill)
