US Trying to Destroy Relationship with Russia, Deputy FM Says

He said Russia hopes that the US will understand that it is necessary to continue discussing strategic stability issues with Moscow.

"Contacts have not been interrupted, and we are not initiating the curtailment of contacts with the United States. We understand the importance of discussing the topics that exist. But I would like to note that the initiatives to terminate the dialogue in a number of important areas have recently been implemented precisely from the American side," he said, Sputnik reported.

"This is their choice. I think that after some time in Washington, the realization will come that, for example, strategic stability needs to be discussed. This is an issue that needs to be worked out, the subject is very complicated, and under the influence of the political situation, interrupting this business is about the same thing as declaring a ban on civil aviation flights. That is, people fell into hysterics, lost their self-control - and now they are taking such steps," Ryabkov added.

Russia and the United States hold diametrically opposed positions on Ukraine, Ryabkov said.

"We have a diametrically opposed approach to what is happening in Ukraine. Everything that is happening now is largely a consequence of the policy that Washington has been pursuing for many years, which deliberately turned Ukraine into "anti-Russia", deliberately deprived the Kiev authorities of the possibility of earlier stages to do at least something to implement the Minsk agreements," Ryabkov told reporters.

Russia started what it calls "a special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for protection against attacks by Ukrainian troops.

The United States and its allies, including Japan, responded by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Russia, while many foreign companies decided to leave the country's market.