Russia acknowledged the new wave of the sanctions from the US and responded symmetrically. On Thursday, the US embassy in Moscow has been told to cut its staffing levels.
Russia is ready to the US policy on extending the economic sanctions, the recent Senate’s decision didn’t surprise Moscow at all. Russian Federation has retaliated for new US sanctions, telling the US to cut diplomatic staff to 455 and barring the use of some properties.
According to the logic of Russia, the new US embassy staffing level would be the same as at Russia’s embassy in Washington. Sharply the same.
Sergei Lavrov, the head of the Russian foreign ministry, said in his statement:
“The passage of the new law on sanctions shows with all obviousness that relations with Russia have become hostage to the domestic political battle within the U.S. The latest events show that in well-known circles in the United States, Russophobia and a course toward open confrontation with our country have taken hold.”
Russian-US relations are worsening, again
Mr Lavrov also stressed it was seizing holiday properties and a warehouse used by US diplomats. The ousting diplomates has nothing common with the diplomacy itself but tough times demands tough measures, believes the Russian Foreign ministry. It is pity to observe how the American Embassy in Moscow faces Cold War-era harassment.
US 2017 extending the sanctions were drawn up in part to punish Russia further for annexing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. On Thursday, the US Senate voted 98-2 for a bill passed earlier by the House that strengthens existing sanctions on Russia and gives Congress the power to block President Donald Trump from lifting them.
