Russia calls off talks with United States because of new sanctions against Moscow

Russia cancelled talks with a top US official to protest the latest sanctions punishing Russian companies and individuals over the conflict in Ukraine, in a fresh setback for President Donald Trump’s bid to improve ties with President Vladimir Putin’s government.

Under Secretary of State Thomas Shannon had been scheduled to fly to St Petersburg this week to discuss what the two sides call “irritants” in the relationship. But Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a statement that the new sanctions leave no room for bilateral talks.

Previous US sanctions didn’t bring results and “new attempts to make Russia submit will be equally futile,” Ryabkov said. He called the sanctions a “political gift” to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who met with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.

The sanctions announcement by the Treasury Department on Tuesday followed a 98-2 vote in the US Senate for legislation that would increase penalties on Russia and give Congress the power to review any attempt by Trump to lift them unilaterally. While the measure has been blocked in the House at least temporarily over a procedural dispute, it underscores the obstacles confronting Trump’s campaign pledges to work with Putin.