Russia PM: Sanctions Show Trump ‘Utterly Powerless,’ Start a Full-Scale Trade War

Foreign Ministry: US Sanctions Bill Is Short-Sighted

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was very critical about President Trump signing the Russia sanctions bill earlier today, saying that the signature proved his administration was “utterly powerless.”

Trump expressed major concerns about the sanctions in his signing statement, and has been critical of the bill early on. After it passed overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, Trump signed it, however, appearing afraid of a veto override vote, and of the controversy that resisting the Russia sanctions bill would bring.

Medvedev said the signing of the bill ended hopes that the US and Russia would see improved relations under President Trump, adding that the bill was tantamount to starting a “full-scale trade war” between the two nations.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement condemning the US move as “short-sighted,” saying it risked worsening harming global security by moving aggressively on new sanctions against Russia.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.