MOSCOW, 18 March, 2021 (TON): As U.S. President Biden remarked against Russia’s leader Putin, a senior Russian lawmaker said on Thursday, Russia wants an apology from the U.S.

On Wednesday, in a news interview, Biden said "I do" when asked if he believed the Russian president was a killer.

He also described Putin as having no soul and promised he would pay a price for alleged Russian meddling in the 2020 US presidential election, something the Kremlin denies.

Following Biden’s interview, Russia on Wednesday said to recall its ambassador to the U.S. for urgent consultations over the future of US-Russia ties.

Calling Biden’s comments as unacceptable, Konstantin Kosachyov, deputy chairman of parliament's upper house said, "I suspect it will not be the last one if no explanation or apology follows from the American side."

Calling it a watershed moment in U.S. Russia ties, he added, "This kind of assessment is not allowed from the mouth of a statesman of such a rank. This kind of statement is not acceptable under any circumstances."

The Kremlin has not yet responded publicly to Biden's comments but is likely to do so later on Thursday.

Nevertheless, Russia's ties with the West, already languishing at post-Cold War lows since 2014, have come under new pressure over Russia's jailing of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny whose freedom the West has demanded. However, Russia has denied it as unacceptable interference in its domestic affairs.