US economic war against Russia can completely collapse bilateral relations — MFA - TASS

The United States has declared economic war on Russia, which threatens to completely collapse bilateral relations, but the countries can still agree by observing the principles of mutual respect, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told a briefing on Thursday.

"The economic war declared on Russia threatens to completely collapse bilateral relations. This, of course, is not in our interests, because we proceed from the fact that diplomatic relations and, in principle, relations between states should serve national interests, the interests of the peoples living on the territory of our countries," Zakharova said.

She stressed that the Russian side had for many years offered the US "a normal, open dialogue based on the principles of reciprocity and respect for Russian national interests."

"Perhaps, there is still a chance to reach an agreement. But if they [the US] go this way, they will miss this chance once again," the diplomat concluded.

According to her, Washington's unacceptable behavior is caused by "impotent rage because the plan to turn Ukraine into anti-Russia" and use it as a bridgehead for delivering all types of strikes" on the territory of the Russian Federation failed."

"This anger has practically brought Washington to a virtual point of no return in bilateral relations," Zakharova stated. She added that the United States, along with its allies, resorted to "outright robbery" of Russia and its citizens.

"Apparently, it was not expected that Russia would withstand this blow, and problems, according to the law of communicating vessels, would begin to multiply in the United States of America itself, not to mention its satellites from the European Union singing along with them ... This is the root of aggressive rhetoric and personal insults that go beyond all limits of decency, performed by the American President [Joe Biden] as well. They reflect internal turmoil, uncertainty, irritation with the fact that it did not work out, as it always worked before, and as it was planned this time," the diplomat noted.

Zakharova drew attention to the fact that, through the fault of Washington, Russian diplomatic missions "are literally depleted by the mutual expulsions of diplomats."

"The situation is aggravated by the destructive decision of the United States to stop issuing entry visas to Russian citizens at their embassy in Russia. It is clear that if diplomatic missions in Washington and Moscow are closed, absolutely no one will feel better. It will simply be impossible to solve problems," the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry concluded.