Anatoly Antonov stated that the U.S. government made Russian-American relations complicated.

The Russian ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov believes that the U.S. leader Donald Trump has not given up on his desire to get along with Russia. The head of the Russian diplomatic mission shared his opinion in an interview broadcast on December 30, 2017 on an international Russian-language television channel RTVi .

“Based on the conversations between the Russian president and the American president, I conclude for myself that I did not refuse the desire to establish [relations] or get along with the Russian Federation with the Russian Federation,” the ambassador said.

According to the official, no one questions the U.S. president’s decision to get along with Russia. “On the other hand, unfortunately, there are specific actions of the current administration that complicate Russian-American relations,” Antonov said.

According to the ambassador, Moscow is ready to build relations with Washington, despite the new American National Security Strategy, which proclaims Russia and China as the competitors to the U.S. on the world stage.

“We have carefully studied this concept. We will probably be considering all the words and expressions that are [included in the American National Security Strategy] in magnifying-glass detail. I can only say that my first impression is that this conception is regrettable, regrettable in the context of Russian-American relations. We see many flawed points in this framework, but we are ready to work and build relations with the United States, this strategy notwithstanding,” the diplomat said.

Antonov said that he “began working as the ambassador in Washington, D.C. in a difficult time for Russian-American relations.” “The first news I heard when I set foot on American soil was the decision of the U.S. authorities to close down the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco and to close our trade mission building in Washington,” the head of the Russian diplomatic mission explained.

The Ambassador noted that Russia objects to the approach that the U.S. administration has taken.

“We consider the steps taken by the U.S. administration to be unacceptable with regard to Russia’s diplomactic property. I can say unequivocally that we fought and will fight for the return of these buildings, which the U.S. authorities have seized illegally, and we will insist on the resumption of operations of the Russian Consulate General in San Francisco.”

According to the Ambassador, before going to San Francisco in late November, he asked the State Department to allow him to enter the Consulate building and to see what is happening there – “whether the chairs, the tables, the carpets, the light bulbs, and the lampshades are in place.” “Unfortunately, the State Department denied the request,” said Antonov. The diplomat went on to say that he was not given a chance go inside.

Asked whether Russia would go to an American court to defend its property rights, the Antonov replied, “We have President Vladimir Putin’s assignment in this regard. This work is very delicate, it is like filigree and it requires silence. We will inform you at the right time.”

Charges of interference in elections

The allegations of Russia’s interference in last year’s U.S. presidential elections are a bargaining chip of the domestic political struggle in the United States, Antonov said.

“The fact that so-called” Russian theme,” Russian intervention “ - it. <...> a bargaining chip in the political struggle in the United States Dissatisfied with losing in the elections the party has decided to use this factor to clear himself, attributed his defeat, accusing Russia, in this case, all sins,” said the diplomat.