Measured answer
Russia given 48 hours to comply with order to shut consulate, East Coast offices
Russia vowed Friday to respond to a U.S. order to shut the Russian Consulate in San Francisco and offices in Washington and New York, but also indicated that Moscow was not inclined to raise the stakes in the diplomatic tit-for-tat between the two countries.
The Trump administration said the order issued Thursday was in retaliation for the Kremlin’s “unwarranted and detrimental” demand last month that the U.S. substantially reduce the size of its diplomatic staff in Russia.
“The United States is prepared to take further action as necessary and as warranted,” U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. Still, Nauert said Washington hoped both countries could now move toward “improved relations” and “increased co-operation.”
The U.S. gave Russia 48 hours to comply with the order for the San Francisco consulate and the East Coast offices. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday that Moscow would reply with firmness, but needs time to study Washington’s directive and to decide on a response.
“We will have a tough response to the things that come totally out of the blue to hurt us and are driven solely by the desire to spoil our relations with the United States,” Lavrov said in a televised meeting with students at Russia’s top diplomacy school.
Other top Russian officials also urged caution.
President Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told Russian news agencies later Friday that the Kremlin “regrets” the latest U.S. move and needs to “think carefully about how we could respond.”
Ushakov also left room for Russia to refrain from retaliation.
“On the other hand, one does not want to go into a frenzy because someone has to be reasonable and stop,” he said.