"I think everything is being done to unleash this war in the European continent but at the same time the Americans don't want [the war] to come close," Antonov told reporters.
The diplomat also said that the lines of communication between Russia and the US should remain no matter what, adding that Moscow maintains such contacts.
The Russian envoy further noted that the majority of criminal cases against Russians in the United States are politically motivated, noting that the US is pushing two Russians imprisoned in New York, Dmitry Ukrainsky and Anatoly Legkodymov, to strike deals with the prosecution.
"There is a lot of ideas that they should agree on conditions of FBI or other special services, to agree on some issues, and if they show good behavior they could be released or maybe a period of their detention or arrest will be reduced," Antonov said.
Antonov, who had earlier met with both Ukrainsky and Legkodymov in New York, indicated that Russia intends to appeal to the US State Department for Legkodymov's transfer to another New York prison cell due to safety concern.
"They made no secret that the fact that they are Russians was an aggravating factor. They are in different blocks. Different conditions," Antonov said.
"Especially with regard [to] Anatoly Legkodymov - he is in a block where murderers and drug addicts are being kept, and he fears for his life," the envoy stated. "We will definitely contact the State Department tomorrow to demand that he be transferred from this block and that normal conditions be ensured."
Legkodymov is the founder of the Bitzlato cryptocurrency exchange.
Antonov also relayed to the press that Russia aims to exchange citizens imprisoned in the United States for Americans as soon as possible, adding that both Russian and American leadership came to an understanding in 2021 that special services should take the lead on potential exchanges.
“I wish our special services good luck,” Antonov told reporters. "I am sure that they will do their best to commit more Russians to be at home as soon as possible."
The diplomat also mentioned that currently over 100 Russians are imprisoned in the US.