MOSCOW (Reuters) - Moscow regards a U.S. statement linking the lifting of sanctions on Russia to its withdrawal from eastern Ukraine as inappropriate and incorrect, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

“We have repeatedly said Russia is not present on the territory of Donbass,” Peskov told reporters, referring to a swath of eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

“This is why we consider such statements inappropriate and incorrect.”

A White House spokesman said on Tuesday that U.S. sanctions on Russia would remain in place until Moscow withdrew from eastern Ukraine.