MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan left the Russian Foreign Ministry where he had been summoned in relation to Washington’s new sanctions against Moscow without comment, a TASS correspondent reported.
His automobile departed not from the main entrance but from a side door of the building of the Russian diplomatic agency; there were no comments for reporters.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reported that the US ambassador had been summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, noting that this conversation would be "a difficult one for the US side."
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order to impose a new round of sanctions against Russia. In particular, the United States is prohibiting American companies from directly acquiring Russian debt liabilities issued by the Central Bank, the National Wealth Fund and the Finance Ministry after June 14, 2021. Moreover, the US Treasury Department slapped sanctions on 16 organizations and 16 individuals, allegedly responsible for Russia’s rumored interference in the US elections. Restrictive measures were also imposed against five individuals and three legal entities related to Crimea, including Crimean government members.
Furthermore, the United States is expelling ten diplomats from the Russian Embassy in Washington DC. US officials claim that the personnel include representatives of Russian intelligence services.