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Russia mulls downgrading diplomatic relations with West, no decision made yet — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov explained that "at a time when the Western countries openly declare that their main aim is to achieve Russia's strategic defeat on the battlefield, of course, this cannot but cause a response from Moscow"

MOSCOW, June 27. /TASS/. Russia is considering all options of responding to the West's actions, including a possible downgrade of diplomatic relations. However, no decision has been made yet, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting on statements by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, who said Moscow did not rule out the possibility of downgrading diplomatic relations with unfriendly countries.

"This is a standard diplomatic practice for a country that faces unfriendly and even hostile gestures," Peskov said. "As the involvement of the collective West, including the United States of America, in the Ukrainian conflict grows, Russia cannot but consider various options of responding to such hostile interference."

"No decisions along these lines have been made yet, though," Peskov added. "Our country's foreign policy is determined by the president of the Russian Federation, the head of state, and it is implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

The presidential spokesman explained that "at a time when the Western countries openly declare that their main aim is to achieve Russia's strategic defeat on the battlefield, of course, this cannot but cause a response from Moscow."

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