Russian Foreign Ministry promised a "surprise" in response to the refusal to issue visas to Russian journalists in the United States

The first question of our journalist touched upon the topic of retaliatory measures against American journalists after representatives of the Russian media were not allowed into the United States during the visit of Sergei Lavrov. The correspondent asked what measures would be taken.

Maria Zakharova said that she would not voice the response, because she did not want to "spoil the surprise."

The second issue also touched upon the visit of the Russian delegation to the UN and its work at the site of the international organization.

"Did the Russian delegation in New York have bilateral contacts with the State Department on START and strategic stability? Director of the Foreign Ministry Department Ermakov said recently in an interview that the United States "played along with chimeras such as" control over escalation "and" escalation dominance. " What does that mean? "the journalist asked.

Russian diplomats had no contacts with the US Department of State during their visit to the United Nations in New York, neither on the mentioned topic nor on any other.

The Russian position on START was previously brought to the American side in full detail, the US Foreign Ministry was not contacted more for clarification.

As for the strategic dialogue, since its "freezing" by Washington, there has been no development on this track. This is impossible, in conditions when US policy is far set on an obvious departure from equal dialogue. The American side does not take into account Russia's security interests and does not consider it necessary to respect them.

In part of the quote given by the journalist, Maria Zakharova pointed out that, trying to exert maximum force pressure on Moscow, Washington "walks around the edge," "plays something with itself," believing that in any scenario it is able to control the escalation to the limits that suit them.

The United States deliberately generates risks and raises rates in actions against Russia, trying to test the "pain threshold," expand in its favor the limits of what is allowed.

The calculation is made on its full "dominant control" over the situation at all stages, which allegedly will not allow the United States to avoid damage to itself or minimize damage compared to the damage caused to the opponent, that is, Russia.

Apparently, the United States is held captive by such illusions and the country's strategists in relation to the hypothetical ladder of nuclear escalation, especially in terms of the first steps.

Maria Zakharova called all this "dangerous misconceptions" that run counter to Western statements about his commitment to reducing strategic risks, including the danger of sliding into a direct armed clash of nuclear powers.

"We will do everything to prevent the situation from developing in the worst-case scenario, but not at the cost of undermining our vital interests. No one is advised to doubt the Russian determination and check it in practice, "Maria Zakharova summed up.