09 August / 2017
Statement by the Press Office
With regard to the regret expressed by the U.S. Department of State Spokesperson, Heather Nauert, at the brifieng on August 9 in connection with Moscow’s decision to reduce U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia we would like to note the following.
Russia would have never taken response measures against the United States if the United States’ previous administration had not expelled Russian diplomats and had not closed access to the Russian diplomatic property, and if the sanctions had not been adopted under the current administration, we would not have had to resort to these measures. The exchange of barbs is not our choice.
We, too, stand for the improvement of bilateral relations and finding areas of cooperation. But it should not be done under pressure. It should be done on the basis of due account of each other’s interests and mutual trust.
Russia would have never taken response measures against the United States if the United States’ previous administration had not expelled Russian diplomats and had not closed access to the Russian diplomatic property, and if the sanctions had not been adopted under the current administration, we would not have had to resort to these measures. The exchange of barbs is not our choice.
We, too, stand for the improvement of bilateral relations and finding areas of cooperation. But it should not be done under pressure. It should be done on the basis of due account of each other’s interests and mutual trust.
