Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov. (Photo: Russian Foreign Affairs)

Russia’s Ria Novosti news agency said that before boarding the plane in Moscow, Antonov said he will work with his US partners to build “equal and pragmatic” US-Russia ties.

The US and Russian ambassadors were summoned home months ago after the two countries announced a wave of tit-for-tat sanctions and expulsions of diplomats.