Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Moscow would have to retaliate for US “boorishness” if Congress moves ahead with new sanctions against his government, according to a report.
“As you know, we are exercising restraint and patience, but at some moment we’ll have to retaliate. It’s impossible to endlessly tolerate this boorishness towards our country,” Putin said during a news conference in Finland, Reuters reported.
“When will our response follow? What will it be? That will depend on the final version of the draft law which is now being debated in the U.S. Senate.”
The House by a 419-3 margin passed the bill authorizing sanctions against Russia for meddling in the 2016 election on Tuesday. It also calls for penalties against North Korea and Iran over their weapons systems.
The legislation now moves to the Senate, which approved an earlier draft last month.
Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said he would like to make some changes but sees a “path forward” … following “very productive talks.”
The bill would make it difficult for President Trump to ease the sanctions without the consent of Congress.
It’s not clear whether Trump would sign the bill.
White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci said the president could veto the bill.
“He may sign the sanctions exactly the way they are, or he may veto the sanctions and negotiate an even tougher deal against the Russians,” Scaramucci said on CNN’s “New Day” on Thursday.
He called Trump’s strategy on sanctions part of his “counterintuitive, counter-punching personality.”
Putin chalked up the talk of sanctions for the Kremlin’s involvement in the election on ant-Russian hysteria in domestic policies.
“It’s very sad that U.S.-Russian relations are being sacrificed to resolve internal policy issues in the U.S,” he said. “It’s a pity, because acting together we could be solving jointly the most acute problems that worry the peoples of Russia and the United States much more efficiently.”