The Kremlin has played down Donald Trump's orders to move two nuclear submarines closer to Russia, saying Moscow did not want to be involved in polemics.
In the first official reaction since the US president's comments last Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said American submarines were on combat duty anyway and dismissed the idea that there had been an escalation.
"Very complex, very sensitive issues are being discussed, which, of course, many perceive very emotionally," Peskov said - though he added that everyone should be "very cautious" with nuclear rhetoric.
US envoy Steve Witkoff is due to visit Russia on Wednesday, according to Russian media.
Last week President Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to "be positioned in the appropriate regions" in response to what he called "highly provocative" comments by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
