Russia considering downgrading relations with the West, the Kremlin says

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia is considering a possible downgrading of diplomatic relations with the West due to the deeper involvement of the United States and its allies in the Ukraine war, though no decision has yet been made.

“The issue of lowering the level of diplomatic relations is a standard practice for states that face unfriendly or hostile manifestations,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about the possibility of such a move.

 "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."