MOSCOW, August 6. /TASS/. Sanctions imposed on Russia by the US authorities hinder bilateral relations. However, they are not the reason for their immediate termination, Chairman of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev said at a meeting with visiting US Senator Rand Paul on Monday.

According to Kosachev, his fellow lawmakers and he would like to discuss with their US counterpart relations between the two countries with due account for Washington’s sanctions pressure. "Of course, sanctions hinder [our] relations but by no means end them," he said.

The Russian senator emphasized that members of the upper house of the Russian parliament were glad to accept the offer to arrange such a meeting due to absence of regular contacts between the two countries’ legislators.

Kosachev noted that "certain forces in the US" are opposed to establishing dialogue with Russia in order to create space for their short-term considerations and superficial initiatives.

The Russian side would also like to raise the issues of Syria, North Korea and Iran at the meeting, he added.