US sanctions on Russia amount to 'trade war', Medvedev says
Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev has criticised new sanctions imposed on the country by the US, equating them to the declaration of a 'full-scale trade war'.
Donald Trump signed off the action this week, which limits the amount of money US businesses can invest in Russian firms.
The move came as a response to allegations of Russian interference in the US presidential election in 2016, when Trump defeated Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
The introduction of the legislation was pushed forward by Congress, with Trump actually criticising the action as ‘deeply flawed’.
In a post on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Medvedev wrote that it puts an end to the prospect of an improvement in relations between the two governments.
"It ends hopes for improving our relations with the new US administration. Second, it is a declaration of a full-fledged economic war on Russia."
'OUTWITTED'
Medvedev also launched a stinging criticism of Trump, who was portrayed as a weak leader unable to overrule Congress on the issue.
"The US establishment fully outwitted Trump; the President is not happy about the new sanctions, yet he could not but sign the bill," Medvedev added. "The issue of new sanctions came about, primarily, as another way to knock Trump down a peg."
He predicted that Trump will be removed from office, as US lawmakers seek to further undermine the President’s policies.
Medvedev’s words are the latest shot in the ongoing war of words between US and Russian officials, with tensions rising significantly since the allegations of meddling from the Kremlin in the election.