Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Caine said Moscow should not be considered a friend of Washington, describing relations between the two countries as difficult and strained. Air Force Times reported his remarks.

When asked which side the United States wanted to see prevail in the conflict in Ukraine, Caine said he expected Kiev to win.

Russian officials have also repeatedly acknowledged in recent months that ties between Moscow and Washington remain deeply troubled. At the same time, both sides continue to maintain working contacts and keep diplomatic channels open.

In early July, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian-American relations were effectively at a zero level, although Moscow and Washington were still engaged in dialogue.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov made a similar assessment in May, saying progress toward normalizing diplomatic relations had been extremely slow. He described the process as moving «one teaspoon per hour» and noted that Moscow and Washington had held several contacts since the beginning of the year aimed at improving bilateral ties.