Trump has said he will lift Obama's sanctions against Russia if they are helpful in battling terrorism - and that he wants to meet with Putin as soon as he is sworn in.

The president-elect may keep the restrictions, which were placed in response to Russia's alleged election hacking, 'for a period of time' unless the administration was helpful in achieving US goals.

He told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published Friday evening that he might do away with them if Russia helps the US battle terrorists or with other goals important to the US.

The sanctions were implemented by the Obama administration last month in response to alleged Russian hacking during the election.

He said in his interview with the paper: 'If you get along and if Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebody's doing some really great things?'

Donald Trump said that he may lift the sanctions Obama placed against Russia, on Friday. It hinges on if President Putin (right) and his administration help achieve US goals, including fighting terrorism

He added that he was ready to have a sit down with the Russian president after the inauguration on January 20.

President Barack Obama imposed the sanctions in retaliation for alleged Russian cyber interference in the U.S. election.

The immediate consequences were 35 Russian diplomats expelled from the country and two Russian compounds closed.

Repercussions came from an executive order, signed by Obama, that outlined economic penalties for individuals and organizations involved in the 'unacceptable' tampering with 'the election processes or institutions'.

On the same day these sanctions were announced, a phone call was made between Donald Trump's national security advisor, Michael Flynn, and the Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergei Kislyak.

Incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer confirmed a call took place a day earlier to exchange 'logistical information'.

Flynn also laid the groundwork with Kislyak to set up a phone call between Vladimir Putin and Trump after he is sworn in, according to Spicer.

The White House says it did not clear a phone call made between Donald Trump's national security advisor Michael Flynn and the Russian ambassador to the U.S. on the same day President Obama imposed sanctions on Russia

The sanctions were a response to Russia after Wikileaks published thousands of emails and documents pertaining to Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Convention in June 2016.

The CIA concluded in December that Russia was behind the leaks that may have been in order to influence the presidential election and hopefully insure Clinton's loss.

Russia's alleged involvement in the election causes even more rumors to swirl around Trump's connection to the country.

Obama placed the sanctions against Russia in late December for their alleged interference with the election. Senior officials in both Trump and Obama's administrations will be questioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee over these allegations, it was announced on Friday. The search is to find any links between Russia and the political campaigns

This sanction announcement comes on the heels of the dirty 'fake' dossier on Trump, which was released by ex-M16 agent, Christopher Steele.

The scandalous information has caused international tensions, as Russia's relations with Britain went into the deep freeze as Moscow blamed MI6 for the dossier of sordid claims about Donald Trump.

In an alarming Twitter post, the Russian embassy in London suggested the dossier’s author, was still working for MI6 and ‘briefing both ways’ against Trump and Moscow.

Chilling: The Russian Embassy in London sent a mysterious tweet saying: 'Christopher Steele story: MI6 officers are never ex: briefing both ways - against Russia and US President'

Pictured: Christopher Steele, 52, was President of the Cambridge Union debating society in 1986, just before he joined MI6 in Moscow to spy as the Soviet Union collapsed, pictured at a Union Bicentenary event

Trump announced earlier this week that he believed Russia might have been behind the massive leak but he has previously mentioned his hopes for a better relationship with Moscow.

Georgia's Democratic Rep. John Lewis said on Friday he doesn't consider Donald Trump a 'legitimate president,' blaming the Russians for helping the Republican win the White House.

He elaborated: 'I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected. And they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton.'

Donald Trump said that he believes Russia ordered hacks on Democrats that coincided with the presidential election

Georgia's Democratic Rep. John Lewis said Donald Trump wasn't a 'legitimate president' and was elected as the result of a conspiracy

Russia is also in the hot seat with Congress, as the Senate Intelligence Committee announced on Friday that it would be launching an investigation into the alleged hacking to search out any connections between Moscow and the presidential campaigns.

It will question senior officials in both Trump and Obama's administrations, as well as possibly issuing subpoenas to compel testimony, the panel's Republican chairman, Richard Burr, and its top Democrat, Mark Warner, said in a statement.