Moscow has warned that relations with the United States are ‘on the verge of a breach’  over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A Russian Foreign Ministry statement this week referred to ‘recent unacceptable statements’ by Biden about Putin, as he summoned the U.S. ambassador to officially protest President Joe Biden’s characterization of Vladimir Putin as a ‘murderous dictator.’ 

The Russian government met with U.S. ambassador to Russia John Sullivan and said, in that conversation, ‘it was emphasized that remarks such as these by the American President, which are unworthy of a state figure of such a high rank, put Russian-American relations on the verge of a breach.’

Last week, Biden described Putin as ‘a murderous dictator, a pure thug who is waging an immoral war against the people of Ukraine.’ 

He had earlier called Putin a ‘war criminal,’ which Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said was ‘absolutely unacceptable and inexcusable.’ 

The summoning was a sign the relationship between Washington and Moscow are worsening as the Kremlin continues its invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. leads western allies in tightening the economic noose around Russia in response.