Putin is desperate for U.S. businesses to return to stave off his economic collapse, write Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian

After secretly helping Trump's last three presidential campaigns, Russia is getting its money's worth from him.

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.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told the FSB security service on Thursday that initial contacts with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump gave grounds for hope. Putin said in televised comments that Russia and the United States were ready to establish cooperation but some Western elites would seek to undermine the dialogue between them.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of "forces" attempting to derail Ukraine peace talks currently being brokered by Washington and Moscow. Newsweek has contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment by email.