MOSCOW, February 15. /TASS/. Chances that Russian-US relations will improve still remain but Crimea-related statements made on behalf of the US president are alarming, Chairman of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Committee for Foreign Affairs Leonid Slutsky told reporters on Wednesday.

He was asked to comment on a statement made by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in which he said that US President Donald Trump had clarified he expected Crimea to be returned to Ukraine and the situation in the eastern part of the country to normalize.

Slutsky said that "of course, such rhetoric is alarming but we understand this is the stance that most of the US establishment shares."

According to him, "Trump could not be expected to oppose his country’s elite at the very beginning of his presidency."

"Let’s be real. There is still a chance that Russian-US relations will improve. But nevertheless, such statements are like a cold shower that will cool down high expectations from Trump and his team," the Russian lawmaker concluded.