Russia announced a sharp reaction to the new US sanctions during a meeting with US Ambassador John Sullivan at the State Department in Moscow. The US diplomat had been informed that the actions of the American side were “unacceptable” and a “new blow,” the ministry announced yesterday after Sullivan’s meeting with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
While Ministry spokeswoman Maria Sakharova spoke of the ambassador’s „summoning“, Sullivan later made it clear in a message that he himself had arranged the appointment in advance. He wanted to explain the expulsion of ten Russian diplomats from the United States and the new sanctions, said the diplomat.
„Mirror-perfect“ expulsion of diplomats
Russia has to pay for its hostile policies – such as meddling in the 2020 US election, hacker attacks and the poisoning of Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny – said Sullivan. The conversation was professional and respectful.
On the other hand, Sakharova had threatened a tough and unfriendly conversation. „Such aggressive behavior will undoubtedly receive a rebuff, a response to the sanctions will be inevitable.“ The countermeasures are to come soon.
Russian foreign politicians said that Russia would react „mirror-like“ and in return also expel ten US diplomats. Russia had rejected the US allegations as baseless and demanded evidence.
Foreign policy official Leonid Sluzki said that against this background it was difficult to talk about the prospects of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US colleague Joe Biden. In a phone call on Tuesday, Biden offered Putin a face-to-face meeting in a third country in Europe.
Biden: USA doesn’t want an escalation
Despite the new sanctions, Washington does not want to further exacerbate tensions with Moscow, said Biden. „The US is not out to start a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia,“ said Biden.
He also warned: „If Russia continues to interfere in our democracy, I am ready to take further measures.“ The sanctions that have now been imposed could have been tougher, said Biden. But he decided to react „proportionately“.
