Amid a major diplomatic retaliation unseen since the Cold War era, Russia urged the United States on Monday to show the "political will" to repair ties. President Vladimir Putin's move to cut hundreds of U.S. diplomatic personnel in Russia underlines his readiness to raise the ante in the face of new sanctions approved by the U.S. Congress. The diplomatic personnel reductions are the harshest such move since 1986, when Moscow and Washington expelled dozens of diplomats. Pence said in the Estonian capital of Tallinn that the U.S. wants to improve bilateral relations with Russia "despite the recent diplomatic action by Moscow." Putin said Russia has other levers to hurt the U.S., but added that he currently sees no need for further action.

Source: ABC News July 31, 2017 09:30 UTC