US President Donald Trump has refused to say whether he thinks Russian leader Vladimir Putin might violate a potential ceasefire agreement, instead bringing up an investigation based on suspicions of Russian influence in the 2016 US election and Hunter Biden.

The first contacts with the new American administration give us some hope,” the Russian president said in televised comments on Thursday.

President Vladimir Putin on Thursday warned "Western elites" against trying to sabotage a potential rapprochement between Russia and the United States, saying Moscow would use its diplomats and intelligence services to thwart such efforts.