Russia can retaliate against US sanctions, warns former Krem

By CGTN's The Point

Moscow will hit back at new US sanctions, a former top Russian advisor has warned, noting the move was the result of political infighting in Washington, DC and was “bizarre and absurd”.

The US House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to renew sanctions against Russia for its alleged meddling in the 2016 election. The bill would also compel president Donald Trump to obtain permission before easing any sanctions on Moscow.

Speaking to CGTN’s The Point, former Kremlin advisor Alexander Nekrassov insisted however that "everything is wrong about this bill from start to finish".  

“First of all, it has been implemented... on the basis that Russia has allegedly meddled in the 2016 election without any proof at all. Secondly, this is a result of a power struggle which is going on in Washington."

“By claiming that the Russian government was meddling in the election in favor of Trump, basically Congress, the media and the Democrats are trying to prove that he is basically illegal, that his win is not legal, that he had received help from a foreign government. That is already bizarre and absurd,” Nekrassov said. 

Reacting to the sanctions bill this week, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the move left no room to improve ties between Moscow and Washington in the near future and took the relationship into uncharted waters.

“Russia does not have the capacity to retaliate economically… But Russia, if it wants to, will retaliate politically,” Nekrassov meanwhile warned.

“It is playing a key role in the Middle East. It's playing a key role surrounding North Korea, and in many other areas, in the battle against terrorism, and many other things. So Russia has this capacity. But it is going to wait and see what Donald Trump is going to do,” he said.

The Point with Liu Xin is a 30-minute current affairs program on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 9.30 p.m. BJT (1330GMT), with rebroadcasts at 5.30 a.m. (2130GMT) and 10.30 a.m. (0230GMT).