MOSCOW, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Moscow hopes Washington will stop linking the development of cooperation with Russia to the Ukraine issue, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press conference on Wednesday.

Peskov said that Russia and the United States have a number of promising mutually beneficial cooperation projects in the economic and investment fields.

"As soon as the U.S. side is ready to stop linking the prospects for normalizing trade and economic ties to the Ukraine issue, or once the Ukraine issue is resolved, we hope the way will be clear for implementing a whole range of economic projects," he said.

When asked by reporters about a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Peskov said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky must order Ukraine's armed forces to stop fighting and withdraw from the Donbas region. Only then can a ceasefire come into force, allowing all parties to enter into negotiations calmly.

Peskov said Russia will continue its dialogue with the United States through existing channels. Moscow is exchanging information with Kiev via Washington, which is acting as an intermediary. ■