MOSCOW President Vladimir V. Putin announced on Sunday that 755 American diplomats would be expelled from Russia by Sept. 1, escalating the tensions between Washington and Moscow.
Although the expulsions had been announced on Friday, in response to the new law passed in Congress last week expanding sanctions against Russia, the presidents statement was the first to confirm the large number of American diplomats involved.
Speaking in a television interview on the Rossiya 1 network, Mr. Putin said that Russias patience in waiting for improved relations with the United States had worn out.
We waited for quite some time that maybe something will change for the better, had such hope that the situation will somehow change, but, judging by everything, if it changes, it will not be soon, Mr. Putin said in the interview, according to Interfax news agency.