Moscow may demand compensation from US for confiscating Russian diplomatic compounds

Russian Politics & Diplomacy June 01, 2017, 14:24

"So far, we haven’t received any proposals from the US side," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman has noted

MOSCOW, June 1. /TASS/. Russia’s authorities may demand compensation from Washington for seizing Moscow’s diplomatic compounds in the United States, Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the Rossiya-24 TV channel on Thursday.

"This issue is slowly shifting to the field of compensation for the damage," Zakharova said.

"In Washington, the US side said that in the near future it will hand over proposals to us on how to settle the situation," she said. "So far, we haven’t received any proposals from the US side."

The Washington Post wrote that the Trump administration is moving toward handing back to Russia two diplomatic compounds in New York City and Maryland, which were shut down by the Obama administration.

"Before making a final decision on allowing the Russians to reoccupy the compounds, the administration is examining possible restrictions on Russian activities there, including removing the diplomatic immunity the properties previously enjoyed," the report said.

In late December 2016, the Obama administration introduced a new round of sanctions against some Russian companies, the Federal Security Service and the Main Intelligence Agency of Russia’s General Staff. Besides that, US authorities expelled 35 Russian diplomats and shut down two Russian compounds in New York and Maryland. Washington attributed these sanctions to cyber attacks against US political institutions, accusing Russia of being involved. However, Moscow fully rejected all allegations.

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