Russian ambassador to US recalled over President Biden's comments

March 20, 2021 Russian ambassador to the United States was recalled on Wednesday after the US President Joe Biden hinted in an interview he felt Vladimir Putin was a killer; and said Russia would "pay a price" for alleged  in the 2020 US presidential election.

The US intelligence officials released a report confirming the Russian leader's authorisation of operations "aimed at denigrating President Biden's candidacy". In an interview with ABC News, Biden said Putin "will pay a price. [...] I know you and you know me.  If I establish this occurred, then be prepared." Upon interviewer asking if "[y]ou think he's a killer?", Biden responded "I do", but it was possible to "walk and chew gum at the same time for places where it's in our mutual interest to to work together".

This came after the United States sanctioned seven of the Russian government's senior members earlier this month over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

said while "we have still found ways to work together in areas where we have mutual interest", President Biden will not "hold back in his direct communications". Spokesperson for the Jalina Porter said: "We remain clear-eyed about the challenges that Russia poses, and even as we work with Russia to advance U.S. interests, we'll also work to hold them accountable".

The US State Department said it had "nothing to comment" if it would recall its own ambassador, who has been posted in Moscow since 2020.

In a statement on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, spokeswoman confirmed "Anatoly Antonov has been summoned to Moscow for consultations" and "[w]e are interested in preventing an irreversible deterioration in relations, if the Americans become aware of the risks associated with this".