The House of Representatives voted by 419 votes to three on Tuesday to pass the new sanctions bill, which targets Russia as well as North Korea and Iran. “It’s impossible to endlessly tolerate this kind of insolence towards our country,” Putin said, referring to the sanctions. “This practice is unacceptable – it destroys international relations and international law.”Putin was vague on exactly how Russia might respond. Before leaving office, Barack Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and the seizure of two Russian diplomatic compounds, in retaliation for Russian meddling in the US election. “Hope dies last but it is dying,” wrote Konstantin Kosachev, the chairman of the foreign relations committee of Russia’s upper house of parliament, after the US vote on Tuesday.

Source: The Guardian July 27, 2017 17:59 UTC