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Russian envoy says US may still ask him to leave Washington by April

In response to Washington’s anti-Russian sanctions and yet another expulsion of diplomats, Moscow barred US embassy from hiring Russian and third country citizens

WASHINGTON, February 9. /TASS/. US authorities continue to make threats to Russia that they might ask Ambassador Anatoly Antonov to leave Washington by April over visa disagreements.

"I confirm this American position. Indeed, the situation remains the same as it was when I first told you about it," Antonov told journalists Wednesday, answering a question whether the US Department of State still believes that the ambassador will have to leave the US by April, should Moscow fail to fulfill a number of demands regarding issuing visas to the US’ Moscow Ambassador’s security personnel.

When asked whether the Americans may ask him to leave, Antonov replied in the affirmative.

"This means that […] the Americans do not rule out such development of events that implies a decrease of the level of diplomatic presence in Moscow and in Washington," he added. In late January, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Washington’s threat regarding the potential departure of the Russian envoy from the US a serious one.

In response to Washington’s anti-Russian sanctions and yet another expulsion of diplomats, Moscow barred US embassy from hiring Russian and third country citizens. On May 12 last year, the US embassy announced that it will reduce the amount of provided consular services, including suspension of reviewing of non-diplomatic visa applications. The provision of visas to the diplomats was slowed down significantly. Since August 1 last year, the US mission operated on the minimum staff in five years: 120 employees. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry noted that the US mission is not forbidden from filling its staff quota of 455 diplomats with US employees.

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