Russian President Vladimir Putin Orders U.S. Diplomats Removed After Sanctions Threat

Russian President Vladimir Putin has waited six months after Barack Obama placed sanctions on Russia for their alleged meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

President Trump hasn’t lifted those sanctions, as Putin thought he might, so on Sunday he ordered hundreds of United States diplomats out of the country.

Putin was holding out to see if Trump would lift the sanctions and not be part of the allegations Obama pushed on the American people after Hillary Clinton’s defeat. But, with rumors of more sanctions being handed down by Trump, Putin had to act.

Source: NY Post

Putin was making good on a threat he issued on Friday that he would cut US diplomatic staff in Russia and seize two American properties after the Senate and the House voted overwhelmingly for new sanctions against Moscow.

An official at the US Embassy in Moscow said there are about 1,100 diplomatic and support staff in Russia, including US citizens and Russians, Reuters reported last week, citing a source.
Earlier Sunday, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said vote for the sanctions was the “last drop” and said Moscow would retaliate “in kind.”

“We have a very rich toolbox at our disposal. It would be ridiculous on my part to start speculating on what may or may not happen ,” Rybakov said on ABC’s “This Week.” “I can assure you that different options are on the table and consideration is being given to all sorts of things.”

The Senate approved the bill by a 98-2 vote last week. The House previously approved the measure by a 419-3 margin.

Whether you want to believe it or not, Putin took the high road back in December by not jumping to respond to Obama’s decision to remove Russian diplomats from the U.S. But with President Trump on the verge of signing more Russian sanctions, Putin had to make a choice to show his strength.

Hopefully, the two leaders can talk and work out these problems. I would hate to see the liberal media get away with driving the Democrats’ false narrative and Trump being suckered into it.

What do you think about Putin’s actions? Will Trump and the Russian leader find common ground? How much more will the liberal narrative about Russia manifest itself? Share your opinions below in the comment section. And share this article on your Facebook/Twitter page and ask your friends to weigh in on this discussion.

Wayne is a freelance writer who was named the 2015 American Conservative Union Blogger of the Year and awarded... More about Wayne Dupree

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