MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. Washington has declared the intent to eliminate bilateral irritants in relations with Russia but there is no major progress on this matter so far, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said at the online briefing on Friday.

"Although the US declared the intention to remove irritants on the bilateral track, real steps in this sphere have been confined so far to the return of ambassadors to capitals of accreditation," the Russian diplomat said.

The US worsened the situation further by ‘veiled expulsion’ of Russian diplomats, Ryabkov noted. Russia responded appropriately but is ready to reduce diplomatic claims to zero if Washington makes a conciliatory gesture," he added.