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 President Joe Biden, of a Putin-Biden summit. Dr Neil Melvin, director of International security studies at RUSI, has warned tensions between the US and Russia are at the height of the Cold War.
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 President Joe Biden, of a Putin-Biden summit. Dr Neil Melvin, director of International security studies at RUSI, has warned tensions between the US and Russia are at the height of the Cold War.
“Even the sanctions were announced, he suggested to Putin in a separate call to have a summit to manage the relationship.”
Russia-US ties slumped to a new post-Cold War low last month after Biden said he thought Putin was a “killer” and Moscow recalled its ambassador to Washington for consultations.
The envoy has still not returned almost a month later.
The Russian foreign ministry said John Sullivan, the US ambassador to Russia, should return home for consultations too.
Washington said its own sanctions were pay back for Russia interfering in last year’s US election, cyber hacking, bullying Ukraine and other alleged malign actions.
Russia denies all the US allegations.
The Kremlin says Putin has yet to decide whether he will take part in a US-led climate summit next week.
It has also said that it would be hard to quickly organise a Putin-Biden summit.
