WASHINGTON – The U.S. State Department confirmed a meeting between U.S. Ambassador John Sullivan and the Russian government, at which Sullivan asked Moscow to abide by international law and allow consul access to all U.S. citizens imprisoned in Russia.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said it was “completely unacceptable” that the United States was denied access to detained U.S. citizens in Russia.
He said there was no change in the case of WNBA All-Star player Brittney Griner, which Russia said it had withheld last month from possession of vape cartridges containing hashish oil. The US is still not allowed consular access to Griner, Price said.
Russia’s foreign ministry said Monday it had invited Sullivan to tell him that calling President Joe Biden a “war criminal” on Russian President Vladimir Putin had pushed bilateral relations to the brink of collapse.
“It is very rich to hear the country talk about ‘inappropriate comments ’when both countries are involved in massacres, including attacks and attacks that have led to civilians,” Price told a reporter.