VLADIVOSTOK, September 2. /TASS/. No progress has been made on a number of issues after the Putin-Biden summit in Geneva, Russian citizens locked up in US penitentiaries and seized Russia’s diplomatic property in the US are among them, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.
He recalled that the "arms control process has been launched" after the summit, which is currently underway, and consultations have begun. According to Peskov, this is a lengthy process, but the first steps have been taken. Cybersecurity consultations have been set into motion as well, "this is likewise a very positive development," he added.
"At the same time, there is an array of issues, on which no progress has been made. [These are] Russians in US prisons and Russia’s property in the US seized in violation of international law, as well as some other issues," the Kremlin spokesman explained.
He also noted that the likelihood of new US sanctions against Russia persisted, and Moscow did not consider this policy constructive. "We know that Washington is fond of these restrictions for some reason and uses them in relation to various countries pretty often. We do not think that this is a constructive stance," Peskov said.
On September 2, 2017, the US authorities closed Russia’s Consulate General in San Francisco, the trade mission in Washington and its rented office in New York as part of their anti-Russian sanctions. The first two facilities are Russia’s state property and enjoy diplomatic immunity. Moscow castigated the seizure of Russia’s diplomatic property as an openly hostile step and called on the United States to immediately return these facilities. On March 26, 2018, Washington shut down Russia’s Consulate General in Seattle (rented premises) and the consul general’s residence (diplomatic property).
Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov vowed in early August that Moscow would never tolerate the seizure of its diplomatic property in the US and would seek its return.