Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday that Lynne Tracy, the new US ambassador to Moscow, would not improve ties between the two countries because of what she called Washington’s ongoing “hybrid war” against Russia.

The ambassador’s appointment comes as relations between Russia and the US linger at historic lows over Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

Zakharova said Tracy’s room for manoeuvre would be limited due to what she said was fierce anti-Russian bipartisan feeling in the United States.

She said she thought it would be progress if US-Russia relations did not sour even further, but said Russia did not believe it would be possible to prevent a further deterioration.

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The Kremlin last week dismissed the idea that Washington and Moscow could turn their relationship around halfway through US President Joe Biden’s term in office, adding that there was “no hope” for improvement in the foreseeable future.