President Donald Trump signed into a law a bill which imposes new sanctions on Russia for their alleged meddling in the 2016 election. The bill, which was signed in private at the White House, also imposes sanctions on Iran and North Korea.
Mr Trump accused Congress of overreach on the legislation, which “handcuffs” him from easing Russia penalties.
Moscow said the sanctions “put paid to hopes that our relations with the new American administration” would improve. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also said this move meant the US had declared a “full-scale trade war” on Russia. The Kremlin denied interfering in the US election, and Mr Trump rejected any allegations that his campaign staff colluded with Russia to help him win.
Hours after the US president signed the bill, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “This isn’t news. The thing is, the bill was approved and was going to automatically become law with or without the president’s signature.”
Moscow had already retaliated last week to Congress passing the bill, by expelling 755 people from its US embassy and consulates.
Several European nations, including Germany, are fearful of the economic consequences and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has warned of “unintended unilateral effects that impact the EU’s energy security interests”.
In signing the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, Mr Trump attached a statement calling the measure “deeply flawed”. He accused Congress, which last week overwhelmingly passed the bill and sent it to the White House, of overstepping its constitutional authority. “As president, I can make far better deals with foreign countries than Congress,” he said.