Stressing that it wanted to prevent an “irreversible deterioration” in relations, Russia responded by summoning the US envoy back to Moscow.
On Wednesday, after Joe Biden described Vladimir Putin as a “killer” who would “pay a price” for election meddling, giving rise to the first major diplomatic crisis for the new American president, Russia called its US ambassador back to Moscow for consultations.
In an interview with ABC News, when asked about a US intelligence report that the Russian leader tried to harm his candidacy in the November 2020 election and promote that of Donald Trump, President Biden said: “He will pay a price.”
When Prez Biden was questioned whether he thought Putin, who has been accused of ordering the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and other rivals, is a “killer,” he said: “I do.”
The comments by the US president were aired at a time when the US Commerce Department has announced it is toughening export restrictions imposed on Russia as punishment for Navalny’s poisoning.
Stressing that it wanted to prevent an “irreversible deterioration” in relations, Russia responded by summoning the US envoy back to Moscow.
“The Russian ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Antonov, has been invited to come to Moscow for consultations conducted with the aim of analyzing what should be done and where to go in the context of ties with the United States,” the Russian foreign ministry informed.
Sergei Ryabkov, the Russian deputy foreign minister, told RIA Novosti that “responsibility for further deterioration of Russian-American ties fully rests with the United States.
The State Department, in Washington, noted the Russian move and said the United States will “remain clear-eyed about the challenges that Russia poses.”
Jen Psaki, the White House spokeswoman, was questioned by the reporters whether the president considers Putin literally or just metaphorically a killer.
In her response, she said: “He (Biden) does not hold back on his concerns about what we see as malign and problematic actions.” To corroborate her claim, she cited election interference, Navalny’s poisoning, cyberattacks and bounties on US troops in Afghanistan.
“He’s not going to hold back in his direct communications, nor is he going to hold back publicly,” she said. “We are not going to look the other way as we saw a little bit over the last four years.”
“From his first phone call with President Putin, President Biden has been clear that the United States will also respond to a number of destabilizing actions,” she said.
When asked about that phone call with Putin by ABC news, Prez Biden said he had a “long talk” with Putin after taking office in January.
“The conversation started off, I said, ‘I know you and you know me. If I establish this occurred, then be prepared’,” Biden said.
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