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Kremlin comments on new US sanctions

Peskov added that it would be premature to speak of any retaliatory measures at the moment

MOSCOW, August 9. /TASS/. It is too early to speak of Moscow’s retaliatory measures against the new US sanctions, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

"We heard the official statements [of the US] about the so-called new sanctions and we heard some high-profile source saying that some restrictions could be introduced against Russia," Peskov stressed.

"As we still do not understand what it means officially, it would be definitely wrong to speak of any retaliatory measures now." 

Washington’s decision on new sanctions against Moscow disagrees with the constructive atmosphere of the summit meeting Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump held in Helsinki, Russian presidential spokesman has added. 

"Of course, such decisions [on sanctions against Russia] being taken by the US side are absolutely unfriendly and can hardly be associated with the no easy but constructive atmosphere achieved at the latest meeting of the two presidents," he said.

The sanctions 

The Kremlin believes attempts to link fresh US sanctions to the Salisbury incident are inadmissible, Russia had nothing to do with that incident, Peskov told reporters.

"We believe linking new [US] restrictive measures, which we continue to consider illegitimate, to the Salisbury case is totally unacceptable," he stressed. "We once again flatly reject any accusations regarding the possible involvement of the Russian state in what happened in Salisbury. That’s out of the question."

"Moreover, we cannot even say unequivocally what and how was used in Britain, because we have no information and have no response to our proposal to the UK on a joint probe into that incident we are profoundly concerned about," he stressed.

"We are confident that such restrictive measures, just like the ones imposed by the American side earlier, are fully illegitimate and contravene international law," Peskov added.

The Washington administration earlier declared its plans to introduce sanctions against Russia on August 22 over its alleged involvement in the March 4 poisoning of former Colonel of the Main Intelligence Directorate Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the British city of Salisbury. As the spokesman for the US Department of State earlier said, in 90 days the US authorities will make a decision on whether to launch the second package of sanctions against Moscow depending on whether it fulfills the conditions made for it. Russia repeatedly refuted any statements of its involvement in the Skripals incident.