The United States hopes to further cooperate with Russia on pressing global issues and anti-Moscow sanctions would no longer be necessary, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Saturday.
“The near unanimous votes for the sanctions legislation in Congress represent the strong will of the American people to see Russia take steps to improve relations with the United States.
“We hope that there will be cooperation between our two countries on major global issues and these sanctions will no longer be necessary,” Tillerson said in a statement.
He also noted that the United States would work closely with their “friends and allies” to ensure its messages to Russia, Iran, and North Korea were clearly understood.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives approved, with a 419 to three votes, a bill that would impose sweeping sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea and limit US President Donald Trump’s ability to lift the anti-Moscow restrictions.
On Thursday, the bill was approved by the Senate by a vote of 98 to two and is yet to be signed by Trump.
Moscow has retaliated by ordering the United States to cut its diplomatic staff in Russia to 455 people by September and seizing some properties used by US diplomats in Russia. (Sputnik/NAN)