Moscow Rejects Washington's Current Policy Toward Russia

Moscow categorically rejects Washington's current policy toward Russia, the Russian deputy foreign minister said at a lower house session. The policy of US current administration has become more arrogant, such policy towards Russia is doomed to fail, he added.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The US' sanctions against Russia target 281 legal entities and 81 public authorities, including high-ranking officials, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday.

"If the US, contrary to common sense and its own already painful experience, continues to expand sanctions [against Russia], there are steps in our arsenal that will reverberate quite painfully. Primarily in regard to US positioning in the world and US policy toward Russia and Europe," Ryabkov told lawmakers.

"The possibility of taking asymmetrical measures has always been a part of our response to hostile US stance [toward Russia]," he said reviewing a draft bill to suspend Russia's plutonium disposal agreement with the United States.

Earlier in October, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the halting of the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement over Washington’s hostile actions.

"There can be any rhetoric, but the substance does not change: we see the problem in the US policy, which has become even more arrogant during the current administration, more pressing, even more focused on attempts to impose its will to other states. But it is initially doomed to fail in respect of our country… The White House has only itself to blame for the presence of problems in many parts of the world and difficult character of relations with Russia."