The decision taken by the Icelandic authorities to lower the level of diplomatic relations with Russia destroys the entire range of Russia-Iceland cooperation, which has traditionally been based on mutual respect and multifaceted cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to Report.
"The Russian Federation has made an important contribution to the formation of a sovereign Icelandic state, one of the first to recognize its independence, has done a lot to protect the interests of Iceland in difficult times for the Icelandic people.
All responsibility for such a development of the situation lies entirely with the Icelandic side. We will take this unfriendly decision into account when building our ties with Iceland in the future. All anti-Russian actions by Reykjavik will inevitably be followed by a corresponding reaction," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
It should be noted that yesterday the Icelandic Foreign Ministry announced that it was closing its embassy in Russia from August 1. Iceland also demanded that the Russian Federation "reduce the scale of activities in Reykjavik" and lower the status of the diplomatic mission.