Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, March 27, 2021. Photo: AFP / VNA

At a press conference on Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "In general, despite Washington's harsh and hostile statements, President Putin remains a strong advocate of building good relations with the United States, at least in those fields that are beneficial to us," according to Xinhua news agency.

He added  Russia has never posed a threat to anyone, but will never allow any country, including the United States, to threaten, dictate its terms and infringe on Russian interests. According to Peskov, Washington's unpredictable and unfriendly policy requires Moscow to be prepared for all scenarios, including the expulsion of diplomats and new sanctions.

Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the US sanctions policy against Russia was ineffective, describing it a "dead end" approach. The Russian top diplomat also said relations between Russia and the US have plunged to the lowest level.