OREANDA-NEWS. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that the further development of relations between the Russian Federation and the United States depends on Washington. It is reported by RIA Novosti.

According to him, on March 21, the US ambassador in Moscow received a note of protest, which said that what was happening had put US-Russian relations on the brink of breaking.

The diplomat stressed that the United States must stop escalating tensions with Russia, both verbally and in terms of arming Ukraine. Ryabkov noted that if Washington can have a positive impact on Kyiv, then there may be a certain prospect for the normalization of relations, but so far there is a downward trend due to the fault of the American side in the dialogue with Moscow.

“We take this with regret, but it does not have any effect on our determination to move towards achieving the goals of the special military operation and adapt to the circumstances associated with US sanctions and sanctions imposed by the European satellites of the US at their suggestion,” — Ryabkov said at a meeting with reporters.

On the eve of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said that the new anti-Russian sanctions will fall on those who are considered responsible for "repressions against representatives of ethnic and religious minorities," namely against officials whose policies are directed against supporters of a particular religion. At the same time, he did not indicate who exactly would be included in the “black list”.