US imposes sanctions on Moscow, expels Russian diplomats

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The United States announced sanctions and the expul-sion of 10 Russian diplomats Thursday in retaliation for what Washington says is the Kremlin’s US election interference, a massive cyberattack and other hostile activity.

JOE BIDEN & VLADIMIR PUTIN

President Joe Biden’s broadside against Russia came the same week as he offered to meet President Vladimir Putin for their first summit — an idea he reiterated in a speech Thursday, explaining that despite the sanctions it was now “time to deescalate.”

Washington is “not looking to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia,” Biden said, calling the sanctions “proportionate.”

In his executive order, the Democratic president widened restrictions on US banks trading in Russian government debt, expelled 10 diplomats who include alleged spies, and sanctioned 32 individuals accused of meddling in the 2020 presidential election.

Biden’s order “sends a signal that the United States will impose costs in a strategic and economically impactful manner on Russia if it continues or escalates its destabilizing international action,” the White House said in a statement.

The Kremlin said Thursday that sanctions would not “help” momentum for a summit and the Russian foreign ministry warned a Russian riposte was “inevitable.”