US says Russian demand for cuts to staff in Moscow ‘uncalled for’
State Department official: Moscow’s move following new sanctions by Congress is ‘regrettable’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
The US State Department on Sunday called Russia’s decision to cut hundreds of American diplomatic staff in Russia “a regrettable and uncalled for act.”
On Friday, Russian’s Foreign Ministry ordered a reduction by September 1 in the number of US diplomatic personnel in Russia.
It demanded Washington cut its diplomatic presence in Russia to 455 — the same number Moscow has in the US.
The order came as a response to new sanctions approved by the US Congress and sent to US President Donald Trump to be signed into law.
“We are assessing the impact of such a limitation and how we will respond to it,” a State Department official said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had said earlier that 755 US diplomats must leave Russia and warned ties with Washington could be gridlocked for a long time.
“More than a thousand people were working and are still working” at the US embassy and consulates, Putin said in an interview with Rossia-24 television. “755 people must stop their activities in Russia.”
Putin added that an upturn in Russia’s relations with Washington could not be expected “any time soon.”
“We have waited long enough, hoping that the situation would perhaps change for the better,” he said.
“But it seems that even if the situation is changing, it’s not for any time soon.”
On Thursday, the US Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill to toughen sanctions on Russia for allegedly meddling in the 2016 US presidential election and for its annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Iran and North Korea are also targeted in the sanctions bill.
The law now goes to President Donald Trump, who had made an improvement in ties with Russia a plank of his election campaign.
The Times of Israel Community.