Obama's Sanctions on Russia Meant to Take 'Leverage Away' From Trump - Giuliani

The new sanctions imposed on Russia by US President Barack Obama are meant to undermine the presidency of President-elect Donald Trump, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani said in an interview on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Thursday, US outgoing President Barack Obama announced the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats, the closing of two Russian diplomatic compounds in Maryland and New York and new sanctions against six Russian individuals and five entities over Moscow's alleged interference in the November US presidential election.

Russian officials have repeatedly denied the US allegations of election interference, characterizing them as absurd and laughable nonsense. Moreover, they have said such allegations are intended to deflect US public attention from revelations of corruption and other pressing domestic concerns.

"I’ve never seen a president try to create more problems for a future president," Giuliani told Fox News. "First he double crosses Israel… now after 18 months of this hacking he does something about it. Why didn’t he do something about it 18 months ago? It wouldn’t have happened."

Giuliani said the Obama administration is making a last-minute foreign policy moves "taking tremendous leverage away" from Trump.

In addition to introducing new sanctions against Russia, the decision to abstain from a UN Security Council vote on a resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank was another move to damage Trump, Giuliani noted.

Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia "will not expel anyone" in response to US sanctions and will determine further steps in restoring ties with the United States depending on the policy of President-elect Donald Trump.

Washington's decision to expel the 35 Russian diplomats in reality means the total number of Russians who must leave the United States is 96, according Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.