MOSCOW, April 20. /TASS/. Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov and US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan will be back at work after consultations when it is expedient for the development of the Russian-US relations, Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

"Typically, ambassadors return after consultations in their capitals based on considerations of expediency. We see that the current relations are at their lowest. The unfriendly measures that have been taken against our country have certain consequences. And our country implements certain measures in response. There are certain contacts, including Patrushev-Sullivan contacts that took place yesterday and that address this situation," Peskov explained. "If it is considered expedient after that, then the ambassadors will probably be back and continue performing their duties."

The Kremlin press secretary turned to the subject of the Russian ambassador, noting that when the president deems it as appropriate, a decision will be made.

He pointed out that the recommendation by Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov to the US ambassador to go to Washington for consultations were well within the framework of the Vienna Convention. "Russia is acting in strict compliance with the letter and the spirit of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Obviously, Russia cannot send the ambassador for consultations. Russia can recommend that it be done. This is undeniable," he specified.

On Tuesday, the US ambassador to Russia announced that he was heading to Washington for consultations and would return to Moscow within the coming weeks, prior to the potential meeting between Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Joe Biden of the United States. A spokesman for the US embassy told TASS that Sullivan planned to go to the American capital later this week.

Russian-US relations soured following US President Joe Biden’s notorious ABC News interview when he said that Moscow would have to "pay a price" for its allegedly meddling in America’s elections and agreed when asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was a ‘killer’. After that, Ambassador Antonov was invited to Moscow for consultations and has been staying in the Russian capital since March 21.

On April 15, the US president signed an executive order on anti-Russian sanctions, while Moscow announced tit-for-tat measures on the following day.