Mr. Trump had talked during his campaign of improving ties with Russia and had praised Mr. Putin, and the Kremlin had expected the face-to-face meeting of the presidents to mark the start of a new era. The United States Embassy in Moscow declined to comment. Whereas the United States has long relied on local staff, the Russians tend to employ their own citizens as support staff. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyMr. Putin did not respond at first, hoping for improved ties. The law forces Mr. Trump to seek congressional approval before removing any sanctions.

Source: New York Times July 31, 2017 12:52 UTC