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.