U.S. President Barack Obama said Washington will lift sanctions if Russia changes the course.

The recent cease-fire agreement in Ukraine offers an opening to achieve that objective, he said addressing the UN General Assembly session.

“If Russia takes that path – a path that for stretches of the post-Cold War period resulted in prosperity for the Russian people – then we will lift our sanctions and welcome Russia’s role in addressing common challenges,” Obama said.

He reminded of the recent cooperation between the United States and Russia, namely reducing nuclear stockpiles to meet obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and destroying Syria’s declared chemical weapons.

“And that’s the kind of cooperation we are prepared to pursue again—if Russia changes course,” he emphasized.