Trump and Putin to discuss lifting of Ukraine sanctions - report

Newly-elected US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will speak via telephone on Saturday, with reports suggesting Western sanctions against Russia over its actions in Ukraine a likely topic of discussion.

Trump has repeatedly spoken about attempting to improve relations with Putin and Russia, which have hit their lowest point since the end of the Cold War after allegations of interference in last year's presidential election.

The Republican has been busy during his first week in the Oval Office, signing an array of executive orders and conducting several meetings, including with British Prime Minister Theresa May.

According to a White House aide via Reuters, Trump plans to speak to Putin about the sanctions, which Obama imposed on Russia after its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Trump said during his election campaign last year that he would consider removing the sanctions, a move which would no doubt face stern opposition from key members of both the Democrat and Republican parties.

During an interview on Fox News on Friday, Trump's senior adviser Kellyanne Conway hinted that the sanctions would be discussed between the two men.

When asked to verify the reports about the discussion, Conway said that "all of that is under consideration".

"I assume they will discuss, in the interests of their respective countries, how to come together and work together on issues where you can find common ground and where these two nations could maybe defeat radical Islamic terrorism," Conway said.