Russia warns US that diplomatic relations are on 'verge of breaking'

Russia warns US that diplomatic relations are on the ‘verge of breaking’ and summons the American ambassador in protest to Biden calling Putin a ‘murderous dictator’

  • Moscow warned that relations with U.S. are ‘on the verge of a breach’ “
  • Kremlin summoned U.S. ambassador to Russia John Sullivan for meeting
  • Complained about Biden calling Putin a ‘murderous dictator’ 
  • Kremlin said comments ‘are unworthy of a state figure of such a high rank’ and ‘put Russian-American relations on the verge of a breach’ 
  • Sign relations between Washington and Moscow are worsening
  • Biden heads to Brussels later this week for special NATO meeting 

Moscow warned that relations with the United States are ‘on the verge of a breach’ and summoned the U.S. ambassador to officially protest President Joe Biden’s characterization of Vladimir Putin as a ‘murderous dictator.’ 

A Russian Foreign Ministry statement on Monday referred to ‘recent unacceptable statements’ by Biden about Putin, a reference to Biden’s criticism of the Russian president last week for his invasion of the Ukraine.

The Russian government met with U.S. ambassador to Russia John Sullivan and said, in that conversation, ‘it was emphasized that remarks such as these by the American President, which are unworthy of a state figure of such a high rank, put Russian-American relations on the verge of a breach.’

Last week, Biden described Putin as ‘a murderous dictator, a pure thug who is waging an immoral war against the people of Ukraine.’ 

He had earlier called Putin a ‘war criminal,’ which Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said was ‘absolutely unacceptable and inexcusable.’ 

The summoning was a sign relations between Washington and Moscow are worsening as the Kremlin continues its invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. leads western allies in tightening the economic noose around Russia in response.

Moscow warned that relations with the United States are ‘on the verge of a breach’ and summoned the U.S. ambassador to officially protest President Joe Biden’s characterization of Vladimir Putin as a ‘murderous dictator’

U.S. ambassador to Russia John Sullivan was summoned by the Kremlin for a special meeting for Moscow to complain about President Biden

Tensions between Washington and Moscow are on the rise as President Joe Biden prepares to go to Brussels later this week for a special NATO meeting

Biden heads to Brussels later this week for a special NATO meeting on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He’ll also make a stop in Poland for a meeting with President Andrzej Duda. 

It’s part of big diplomatic push Biden is making to keep allies in line on their financial sanctions that are crippling the Russian economy as its invasion of Ukraine reaches a stalemate.

Biden spoke with Western allies – President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy and Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom – Monday morning ahead of his trip for nearly an hour.

The five men will also be in Brussels on Thursday an emergency NATO Summit on Ukraine as well as a G7 meeting. He will also join a scheduled European Council Summit to discuss Ukraine ‘including transatlantic efforts to impose economic costs on Russia, provide humanitarian support to those affected by the violence, and address other challenges related to the conflict,’ the White House said.  

At the NATO meeting, Poland will propose a plan to organize an international peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Poland has taken in the most refugees from Ukraine as 3.2 million people fled the war-torn nation.

But the United States has rejected the peace-keeping idea, saying President Biden will stick to his pledge not to put U.S. boots on the ground in Ukraine. 

Biden will not go there either.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said there were no plans for the president to travel to Ukraine during this week’s trip.

‘The trip will be focused on continuing to rally the world in support of the Ukrainian people and against President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine,’ she wrote on Twitter.

Meanwhile, Russian and Ukrainian officials are talking but have made no progress toward a cease fire. 

American officials have questioned Russia’s intentions with the talks.

‘The negotiations seem to be one-sided, and the Russians have not leaned into any possibility for a negotiated and diplomatic solution,’ Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said on CNN on Sunday.

Firefighters responding to a large-scale fire at a warehouse following shelling in Severodonetsk, Luhansk region, Ukraine

Firefighters are seen inside the Retroville shopping mall after a Russian attack on the northwest of the capital Kyiv

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has offered to meet with Putin but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says more progress must be made in the talks beforehand.

Peskov says that ‘in order to talk about a meeting of the two presidents, first it’s necessary to do the homework, it’s necessary to hold talks and agree the results.’

He adds that ‘so far significant movement has not been achieved’ in the talks and that ‘there are not any agreements which they could commit to’ at a joint meeting.

Ukraine and Russia’s delegations have held several rounds of talks both in person and more recently via video link.  

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