Russia has started to consider a response to the expansion of anti-Russian sanctions by the US, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
"Washington has stepped on the same rake again. This time, on the subject of North Korea. The trend towards persistent destruction of bilateral relations, initiated by the Obama administration has been carried on," Ryabkov said.
"It’s a fourth such escapade since the arrival of the new team in the White House," he added.
"Still we don't lose the hope the voice of reason will prevail over time and our US counterparts will recognize the fruitlessness and detriments of the further unwinding of the spiral of sanctions," Ryabkov said. "Nonetheless we get down to pondering a response inevitable in this situation."
"Against this background, the US officials’ speculations on the willingness to stabilize bilateral relations sound highly unconvincingly. It is worthwhile recalling, though, they explained the adoption of the notorious anti-Russian act earlier by the same willingness to attain better relations with Russia," TASS cited him as saying.
Ryabkov stressed Moscow’s persistent line at settling all the outstanding contradictions through dialogue.
On August 22, the US expanded its sanction blacklist against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, adding the Moscow-based Gefest group of companies in them.
