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Commenting on a report by U.S. news website Axios, Kremlin
spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it would be a "positive signal" if
it turned out to be true.
"The appearance of such publications is quite positive in
itself," Peskov told reporters on a conference call. "It's much
better than reading that new sanctions are on their way."
Axios reported that Washington was set to wave sanctions on Nord
Stream 2 AG, the company overseeing construction of the
pipeline. It also said sanctions would be waived on Matthias
Warnig, an ally of President Vladimir Putin and the company's
chief executive.
Gazprom, the Russian state energy company financing the undersea
gas link from Russia to Germany, and its Western partners are
racing to finish the project, now about 95% complete.
Reacting to the report, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei
Ryabkov said the waiving of those sanctions would help normalise
ties between Moscow and Washington.
"If the media leaks turn out to be true, a glimmer of normalcy
in American politics," TASS news agency quoted Ryabkov as
saying. "Then there will probably be a chance for a gradual
transition toward the normalisation of our bilateral ties."
U.S. President Joe Biden, who in March said he thought Putin was
a "killer", prompting Moscow to recall its ambassador to
Washington for consultations, has said he would like to hold
talks with Putin during a trip to Europe next month.
The Kremlin has said it is studying the possibility of holding
the summit.
(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova and Dmitry Antonov; Writing by
Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Louise Heavens and Steve
Orlofsky)
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