Kremlin on US' Seizure of Diplomatic Compounds: Russia's 'Patience Running Out'

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — In December 2016, the administration of former US President Barack Obama imposed a set of punitive measures against Russia, including the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and the closure of the two Russian diplomatic compounds. The actions were taken in response to Moscow's alleged interference in the US presidential election, which Russia has repeatedly denied.

Back in December, Russian President Vladimir Putin decided not to respond to sanctions imposed by the outgoing US administration and act in accordance with the ties built with the new US leadership.

The Donald Trump administration is currently considering the return of the two facilities ahead of the US president's first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G50 summit in Germany this week.

"We spoke about the principle of reciprocity. As to the fact that Russia's patience [is running out], this was also said at different levels," Peskov told reporters.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier that Washington pledged to prepare proposals in the near future aimed to settle the issue of Russian diplomatic property seized in the United States.

In May, Minister-Counselor of the Russian Embassy in the United States Denis Gonchar told Sputnik that the US administration is trying to link a positive decision on the issue of the Russian diplomatic property seized in the United States with provision of land for construction of a new US consulate building in St. Petersburg.