MOSCOW: The US embassy in Moscow from Wednesday suspended most consular services to its nationals and stopped issuing visas due to a drastic reduction of its staff following tit-for-tat sanctions. Joe Biden has increased pressure on Moscow since becoming US president, and comments he made likening Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to a killer were met with fierce criticism in Moscow. Washington in April announced a new round of sanctions including the expulsion of 10 diplomats and a restriction on US banks trading in Russian government debt. Moscow responded by expelling 10 US diplomats, banning top US officials from entering the country and prohibiting the US embassy from employing foreign nationals. Moscow and Washington are however discussing a possible summit between Biden and Putin in June hosted by a third country.

Source: Manila Times May 12, 2021 08:48 UTC