The Kremlin stated on Wednesday that dialogue with the US is still “vital,” despite concerns over Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

“Communication is crucial; we will continue to communicate,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, when asked about the health of US-Russia ties.

“Because the United States and Europe aren’t going anywhere, we’ll have to interact with them in some way.”

Even before Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in what it called a “special military operation,” relations between Russia and the West were at their lowest ebb since the Cold War’s conclusion.