Kremlin slams US over its obsession with sanctions
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday denounced imposing new sanctions by the US on Russia, saying that Washington’s obsession with sanctions is unacceptable, according to TASS.
Peskov made the comments after the US government on Thursday blacklisted Russian companies, expelled Russian diplomats and barred US banks from buying sovereign bonds from Russia’s central bank, national wealth fund and Finance Ministry.
The US says the sanctions were a response to Moscow’s alleged meddling in last year’s US election, cyber hacking, bullying
Ukraine and other actions. Russia denies all the allegations,
Reuters reported. Kremlin spokesman told reporters that Moscow is mulling its response.
“The principle of reciprocity for such matters has not been cancelled, but everything will depend on the decisions made by the (Russian) head of state.”
Peskov did not say when Russian President Vladimir Putin would decide on counter sanctions, though Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday retaliatory sanctions would come soon.
Peskov added that the Kremlin had yet to decide on Putin’s possible participation in a Us-led climate summit.
Peskov said the Russian leader had repeatedly said that Russia was ready to cooperate with the United States as much as Washington wanted to cooperate with Moscow.