State Department May Block Congress Travel Limits on Russian Diplomats in US

US intelligence agencies fear that the State Department, which seeks to develop dialogue with Moscow, may block congressional efforts to limit the ability of Russian diplomats to travel inside the country, media reported.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to Politico, in May, the US Senate adopted a document, which requires the State Department to introduce more strict travel rules for Russian diplomats inside the United States, as the US intelligence community is concerned that Moscow allegedly uses soft travel restrictions to carry out special operations.

At the same time, the State Department, which is seeking to avoid additional tensions with Russia and normalize the dialogue, tries to resist the Senate's initiative, which is expected to take affect on August 2, the publication said.

The media outlet said citing its sources that the talks between the State Department and Congress over this issue were not easy, and that relatively small progress has been achieved so far.

On June 1, US Senator Tom Cotton said that the United States should strictly enforce restrictions on Russian diplomats' travel ability citing reports that former US President Barack Obama had failed to crack down on Russian spying operations inside the country.

US President Donald Trump is facing mounting criticism over his and his associates' relationships with Russia amid allegations that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election. Trump denies that his campaign colluded with Russia to affect the outcome of the vote. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied allegations that it meddled in the election.