© Sergei Ilnitsky / ReutersRussian President Vladimir Putin
"It won't happens in a matter of weeks," Peskov said of a possible meeting between the two leaders, in an interview with the BBC. "Let's hope that it can happen in months to come."
Peskov added that no negotiations between Moscow and Washington on the matter were underway, but this may change once Trump and Putin have a phone conversation in the near future.
"President Putin will call President Trump after the inauguration to congratulate him. It's a protocol thing that has to be done," he said. "We expect that they may discuss their positions on a possible meeting."
He added that whenever the meeting happens, "Putin would be ready."
Many critics of Trump worry about a possible departure from former President Barack Obama's guarded policy towards Russia, with some even accusing him of being in cahoots with the Kremlin.
During his election campaign, Trump said he would work with Moscow and join forces to deal with global issues like the terrorist group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). Putin said he was hopeful for a thaw in relations, but would wait for Trump to implement his policies rather than making premature judgments.
This is where being a business man is an advantage. Businessmen aren't as patient as politicians. They like to get things done rather than merely attending endless meetings talking about the same problems. Our technology has even invented the telephone, Skype, email (etc) which facilitate planning and resolution.