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Russia expels 10 US diplomats in retaliation for sanctions
- Eight high-ranking US officials banned from entering country, including FBI Director Christopher Wray and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines
- Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also warned of potential ‘painful’ measures aimed at US business in Russia.
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Russia on Friday asked 10 US diplomats to leave the country in retaliation for Washington’s expulsion of the same number of Russian diplomats over alleged malign activity and suggested the US ambassador return home for consultations.
The measures, part of a broader retaliatory package, were approved by President Vladimir Putin, as a response to an array of US government sanctions imposed on Moscow a day earlier, including curbs to its sovereign debt market.
Though Moscow responded swiftly and with measures designed to hurt US interests and shrink its diplomatic footprint, it left the door open for dialogue and did not kill off the idea, proposed by US President Joe Biden, of a summit between the two leaders.
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“Now is the time for the United States to demonstrate good sense and to turn its back on a confrontational course,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
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“Otherwise an array of painful decisions for the American side will be implemented.”
It said it had options to hurt the United States economically and to shrink its diplomatic corps in Russia to just 300 people, but was holding fire for now.
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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Russia’s response.
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