Amid recent Kremlin denials of reports that US President-elect Donald Trump warned Russian President Vladimir Putin against escalating the Ukraine conflict, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday that Moscow holds no expectations from the new US administration and will evaluate its actions based on tangible steps.

Lavrov stated that Russia remains open to dialogue with the US under the Trump administration, though the "ball is in the US court," in an interview with journalist Marina Kim, as reported by Russian state media outlet TASS.

“President Putin stated at the Valdai International Discussion Club that he is always ready for communication. It was not us who interrupted it: the ball is in the US court,” Lavrov emphasized, responding to a question from the media.

"There will be no assumptions or expectations. We will judge based on concrete actions," Lavrov noted.

The Washington Post had earlier reported that the two leaders held a call last week following the US presidential election results. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed this report as “pure fiction.”

Lavrov also remarked that containing China would likely remain a high priority for the US under Trump’s administration, which views Russia as an immediate threat.

“The Biden administration initiated the policy of containing China, and I assume this will remain a priority under Trump as well. Meanwhile, the US sees Russia as today’s threat. Washington cannot accept a strong Russia or any challenge to the West’s reputation,” Lavrov asserted.

According to Lavrov, the US desires a weaker Russia, viewing it as a competitor to suppress. He also suggested that American leadership sees no country as deserving more influence than itself.

Lavrov further criticized the US stance on Ukraine, asserting, "They don’t care about Ukraine. It’s about maintaining their reputation: they once installed this government in Ukraine, and now they cannot tolerate dissent. For them, Russia must be contained, and it's not really about the Ukrainian people at all."

When asked about the potential for a ceasefire with Ukraine, Lavrov reiterated that "President Putin has always expressed readiness for negotiations."

Lavrov noted that none of the proposed solutions from US Republican figures have addressed the right of Ukrainian citizens to use the Russian language in education and media.

Meanwhile, US President-elect Trump reportedly plans to appoint a special envoy to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, according to sources cited by Fox News. The envoy, who will not be salaried, is expected to be a highly credible figure capable of advancing a peace settlement.

In an earlier statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova commented that the outcome of the US election made little difference to Russia, given the prevailing bipartisan stance on confronting Moscow. However, she added, "If there are changes in US policy and new proposals emerge, we will assess them based on Russia’s interests, particularly in matters of national security."