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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/30/russia-us-sanctions-retaliation-sergei-ryabkov
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| Top Russian official threatens further retaliation over 'weird' US sanctions | Top Russian official threatens further retaliation over 'weird' US sanctions |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A top Russian diplomat has called new US sanctions “weird and unacceptable” and warned of retaliation by Moscow. | A top Russian diplomat has called new US sanctions “weird and unacceptable” and warned of retaliation by Moscow. |
| Speaking on ABC’s This Week on Sunday, Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said a bill passed by Congress on Thursday that awaits Donald Trump’s signature was “the last straw”. | Speaking on ABC’s This Week on Sunday, Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said a bill passed by Congress on Thursday that awaits Donald Trump’s signature was “the last straw”. |
| “If the US side decides to move further towards … deterioration, we will answer,” he said. “We will respond in kind. We will ... retaliate.” | “If the US side decides to move further towards … deterioration, we will answer,” he said. “We will respond in kind. We will ... retaliate.” |
| On Friday, Moscow ordered the US to cut hundreds of diplomatic staff and said it would seize two diplomatic properties as a response to the new sanctions that were approved nearly unanimously by the House of Representatives and the Senate, safeguarding the measures against a presidential veto. | On Friday, Moscow ordered the US to cut hundreds of diplomatic staff and said it would seize two diplomatic properties as a response to the new sanctions that were approved nearly unanimously by the House of Representatives and the Senate, safeguarding the measures against a presidential veto. |
| The Trump administration said the president intended to sign the sanctions into law. | The Trump administration said the president intended to sign the sanctions into law. |
| On Sunday, President Vladimir Putin said on Russian television that 755 US diplomats would be expelled by 1 September. Russia could consider additional measures, he said, though he added: “I am against it as of today.” | |
| On ABC, Ryabkov said: “After the Senate … voted so overwhelmingly on a completely weird and unacceptable piece of legislation, it was the last [straw].” | |
| He confirmed that the seizing of the properties was in response to the bill, but declined to say what other measures Russia would be willing to take if the US continued to apply pressure. | He confirmed that the seizing of the properties was in response to the bill, but declined to say what other measures Russia would be willing to take if the US continued to apply pressure. |
| “We have a very rich toolbox at our disposal,” he said. “It would be ridiculous on my part to start speculating on what may or may not happen. We are not gamblers. We are people who consider things very seriously and very responsibly. | “We have a very rich toolbox at our disposal,” he said. “It would be ridiculous on my part to start speculating on what may or may not happen. We are not gamblers. We are people who consider things very seriously and very responsibly. |
| “But I can assure you that different options are on the table and consideration is being given to all sorts of things.“ | “But I can assure you that different options are on the table and consideration is being given to all sorts of things.“ |
| The US-Russia relationship has become increasingly strained in the wake of US intelligence agencies’ conclusion that the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 election to discredit Hillary Clinton and help Trump. | The US-Russia relationship has become increasingly strained in the wake of US intelligence agencies’ conclusion that the Kremlin interfered in the 2016 election to discredit Hillary Clinton and help Trump. |
| Russia has denied meddling while Trump, who has made no secret of his desire for better relations with Vladimir Putin, has openly doubted his agencies’ conclusions. | Russia has denied meddling while Trump, who has made no secret of his desire for better relations with Vladimir Putin, has openly doubted his agencies’ conclusions. |
| Both houses of Congress and the special counsel Robert Mueller, a former director of the FBI, are investigating Russian meddling in the election and whether Trump aides colluded with Russia – an allegation Trump and his associates have staunchly denied. | Both houses of Congress and the special counsel Robert Mueller, a former director of the FBI, are investigating Russian meddling in the election and whether Trump aides colluded with Russia – an allegation Trump and his associates have staunchly denied. |