Russian Ambassador to the US Criticizes Diplomatic Expulsions and Declining Relations
The Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, criticized the US for what he called “banal revenge” in expelling two Russian diplomats without presenting substantial justifications, noting that this reflected poorly on American diplomacy. (Photo: pbs)
Russian Ambassador Critiques US Diplomatic Expulsions and Moscow’s Response
According to themoscowtimes.com, The Russian Ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov has criticized the expulsion of two Russian diplomats by the United States labeling it “banal revenge.” In his remarks the Russian ambassador to the US expressed disappointment at the lack of arguments presented to justify the expulsion and suggested that it did not reflect well on American diplomacy.
This retaliatory action comes after Moscow expelled two American diplomats, according to the Russian ambassador to the US. The United States explained its expulsion of the Russian diplomats as a response to Moscow’s expulsion of two Americans. The Russian ambassador to the US pointed out that Moscow had claimed that these American diplomats had been in contact with a Russian citizen who previously worked at the US consulate in Vladivostok.
In response, the US argued that the individual had been hired for routine monitoring of publicly available Russian media. However, the Russian ambassador to the US countered that the expelled US diplomats had effectively interfered in Russia’s internal affairs and posed a threat to the nation’s security.
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Russian Ambassador Highlights Strained US-Russia Relations During Ongoing Tensions
The strained relations between the United States and Russia have further deteriorated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Russian ambassador to the US noted that the US has expressed reluctance to engage in high-level talks with Russia, except on specific issues such as arranging prisoner exchanges.
Even before the conflict, the Russian ambassador to the US mentioned that the US diplomatic presence in Russia had dwindled due to President Vladimir Putin’s decree limiting the hiring of local staff, causing Russians seeking US visas to often apply through embassies in third countries. This ongoing situation underscores the tension between the two nations, as observed by the Russian ambassador to the US.
