Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the new sanctions as "absolutely illegitimate" and responded with its countermeasures, suspending the use of all US Embassy warehouses and its compound in Moscow. Russia also mandated that the US cut the size of its diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 people by September 1.
"[Sergei] Lavrov has noted that the law on sanctions against Russia introduced by the United States became the next link in a chain of the unfriendly and dangerous steps for the international stability, which had seriously affected the bilateral cooperation. Of course, such actions, including the illegal capturing of our diplomatic property since December, could not be left unanswered. We will keep it that way," the Russian Foreign Ministry statement on the results of the meeting between Lavrov and US State Secretary Rex Tillerson read.
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, 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.
