There is no ground yet to talk about the normalization of Russia-U.S. relations, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday. 

"I would not indulge in excessive optimism in this issue," Peskov said in an interview with Russian weekly Argumenty I Fakty, commenting on the recent Russia-U.S. interaction in dealing with low oil prices and combating COVID-19. 

Cooperation between the two countries should not be interrupted in extreme situations or when Washington and Moscow find it mutually beneficial to work together, he said.

Russia and the United States are cooperating in the space sector, while its two militaries are conducting dialogue to avoid unwanted clashes during operations in the same regions of the world, he added. 

Peskov also noted that along with all the positive assessments from U.S. President Donald Trump, his words that he is the president who has taken the toughest stance against Russia should not be forgotten.

'Spirit of the Elbe' 

Though the spokesperson voiced little optimism about Russia-U.S. relations, the leaders of the two countries flashed signal to "build trust and cooperation" as they published a joint statement to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the meeting between Soviet and U.S. soldiers at Elbe River on Saturday. 

According to Kremlin, the joint statement described the historic meeting between Soviet and American forces as "an example of how our countries can set aside differences, build trust and cooperate in the name of a common goal." 

In a video published on Twitter, U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan said the meeting at the Elbe was "a symbol of what we can achieve when we work together for a common cause."

Agreement on oil export 

Moreover, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that Moscow and Washington will continue sharing information on the situation on the oil market, while addressing the students of Moscow State Institute of International Relations via a video link. 

"A certain exchange of information, not coordination or cartel agreement, is a serious step itself. I think that exchange of information, the possibility of hearing each other and considering that in decision-making, be it OPEC+ or a decision taken concerning the state of the market, that process of mutual information will continue, of course," he said. 

Also, leaders of China, the United States, France, Britain and Russia are going to discuss international peace and security measures at an online five-way summit proposed by Putin, though the exact date for the video conference has not been designated yet.

(With input from agencies)

(Cover: A souvenir shops offering among others cup a tin mug depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump in Moscow. /AFP)