Russian ambassador says U.S.-Russia relations are in 'a deplorable state'

Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov on Wednesday said reports that Russia paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan are a "downright lie," and "no concrete evidence has been presented" to prove the allegations.

The New York Times first reported on the alleged plot in late June. During a virtual discussion with the Center for the National Interest, a think tank in Washington, Antonov said the intelligence sources behind the report are "trying to create an impression that our country is an enemy of the United States."

He also had sharp words for the U.S. government's decision to withdraw from multilateral arms control treaties, saying this left U.S.-Russia relations in a "deplorable state." His country, Antonov added, is "deeply concerned about the United States actions leading to the collapse of strategic stability."

While it's not known if President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have spoken since the Russian bounty story broke, Antonov did reveal that they had five phone calls in late March and April, all of them positive. "Unfortunately, it is not always possible to implement in practice the constructive tone of the presidents' talks," he added.