The US Embassy in Russia is studying Moscow's announced response to US sanctions, but has not yet received diplomatic notes detailing the future work of the US diplomatic mission in Russia, US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan said in a statement seen by RIA Novosti.
"We have seen a message that appears on the website belonging to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and are reviewing the information therein, in consultation with Washington. We have not received any official diplomatic correspondence providing details of the Russian government actions against the diplomatic mission of the United States of America in Russia," the statement says.
On Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday as part of response measures to the latest round of sanctions introduced by Washington that ambassadors of Russia and the United States should be in their respective capitals to analyze the current situation and hold consultations.
US-Russia tensions intensified following the US intel report on Moscow's alleged role in the SolarWinds cyber breach and purported interference in the 2020 presidential election. After the Biden administration had completed an intelligence review, Washington slapped new sanctions on 32 Russian individuals and entities. The US also prohibited US financial institutions from buying Russian government bonds starting June 14. Finally, it has expelled 10 Russian diplomats from the country.
The Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the new US sanctions as running contrary to the interests of the two nations.
In March, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov was invited to Moscow for consultations to analyze further actions in the context of relations with the United States. During consultations in Moscow, Antonov held meetings at the Foreign Ministry, both houses of parliament, as well as with Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would decide when Antonov should return to Washington.
The move also followed US President Joe Biden's interview with ABC News, in which he claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would "pay a price" for alleged interference in the US elections and answered in the affirmative when asked whether he considered Putin a "killer."
Putin commented on Biden's words, wishing him good health and reminding him that evaluating other people is like looking in a mirror, and invited Biden to continue the discussion online.
