President-elect Donald Trump won't wait long to try to initiate a new thaw with Russia, with preparations already underway to line up a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin after Trump is sworn in.

Trump's transition revealed the preparations for the call with Putin, who is considered an adversary by the Obama administration and many congressional Republicans, in a call with reporters Friday.

Incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Trump's incoming national security advisor, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, laid the groundwork for the call in his own contacts with Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak.

'The call centered on the logistics of setting up a call with the president of Russia and the president elect after he was sworn in. And they exchanged logistical information on how to initiate and schedule that call.'

LETS TALK: President-elect Trump's transition revealed that plans are in the works for a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin

Spicer pointedly said the call was not about new sanctions the Obama administration slapped on Russia following a report on Russian interference in the U.S. elections.

'That was it, plain and simple,' he said.

President Barack Obama's press secretary said Friday afternoon that the White House was not aware that the call beforehand, to his knowledge.

The Obama spokesman, Josh Earnest, was 'not prepared to say it was entirely appropriate' even though it 'sounds like' the call was above board not knowing what was said.

The incoming and outgoing White House press secretaries were responding to a column in the Washington Post that stated Flynn had spoken to Kislyak after the imposition of the new sanctions, meant to punish Russia for what the intelligence community says was interference in the U.S. elections.

The article noted that Flynn has close Russia ties, having appeared on Russia Today and gotten a speaking fee from the Kremlin-backed network.

It cited a senior U.S. government official as saying Flynn phoned Kslyak several times on Dec. 29, the day the Obama administration announced it was kicking 35 Russian officials said to be spies out of the country to retaliate for the hack.

Trump himself questioned the sanctions immediately after they got announced. Trump has called repeatedly for improved relations with Moscow and has repeatedly refrained from criticizing Putin – although he did say in a Wednesday press conference that Russia was behind U.S. election hacking.

National Security Adviser-designate Michael Flynn is hammering out the logistics for the call with the Russian ambassador to the U.S.

The arrangements for the call began with 'Merry Christmas' texts between Flynn and the Russian ambassador

'On Christmas day, General Flynn reached out to the ambassador, sent him a text that said, "I want to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year, I look forward to touching base and working with you and I wish you all the best,"' Spicer said.

'The ambassador texted him back wishing him a Merry Christmas as well. And then subsequently on the 28th of December said, "I’d like to give you a call, may I?" He then took that call on the 28th,' Spicer said.

Putin sent New Year greetings to Trump and congratulated him on his election.

Spicer told reporters this morning that Flynn and Kslyak 'exchanged logistical information' and 'that was all.'

Asked Friday afternoon he was bothered by Flynn's talks with the Russian representative, President Barack Obama's spokesman said it 'depends on what he said.'

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said he 'obviously' has 'zero insight' into what was communicated. Earnest said that would have to come from the Trump transition team.

It 'sounds like' the call did not cross a line, but Earnest said he 'can't pass judgement' on the call, though, because he 'wasn't privy to it.'

'As a general matter, on principle, you can imagine why these kinds of interactions may take place,' he said, emphasizing again that the content of the discussion would determine 'whether we would have significant objections.'

''I'm also not prepared to say it was entirely appropriate without knowing the content of their conversations,' he said.