ISTANBUL 

Talks between Moscow and Washington may continue “as early as next week,” a Russian envoy said on Sunday, as both countries held continue dialogue on normalizing relations and ending the more than three-year-old Ukraine war.

Kirill Dmitriev, Russia’s special envoy for foreign investment and economic cooperation, told a press briefing on Thursday that he held talks in Washington with representatives of US President Donald Trump’s administration, and the two sides made “three steps forward” on a large number of issues.

He said the topics discussed included improving of bilateral ties, business cooperation and the Ukrainian settlement.

“As early as next week,” Dmitriev said during an interview with Russian state broadcaster Channel One in response to a question about when to expect new contacts between Russia and the US.

Dmitriev said they are receiving a large number of requests from American companies on returning to Russia, including in the energy sector.

Calling the talks during the week the "beginning of a good and respectful" dialogue, Dmitriev said there still are a "large number" of Russia's enemies in the US government.

"They haven't gone anywhere. What is called the deep state is still in place. And a very large number of other countries are also trying to disrupt the attempt at dialogue, the attempt to restore relations between Russia and the United States," he added.

The envoy said there is a "fragile hope" that the dialogue has been restored, efforts to disrupt the warming of ties must be resisted.