The News
Tuesday 08 of October 2024

U.S. Defends Russia Posts Closure after Kremlin Vows to Sue


Workers carry boxes out of the Russian consulate in San Francisco as acrid, black smoke was seen pouring from a chimney at the stately building in a historic area of the city Friday, September 1, 2017,photo: AP/Garance Burke
Workers carry boxes out of the Russian consulate in San Francisco as acrid, black smoke was seen pouring from a chimney at the stately building in a historic area of the city Friday, September 1, 2017,photo: AP/Garance Burke
The State Department circulated a statement from the official to reporters on condition of anonymity

WASHINGTON — The United States is defending the legality of its move to shutter Russian diplomatic facilities in San Francisco, New York and Washington after Moscow said it would sue.

A senior State Department official says the U.S. won’t speculate on whether Russia will retaliate. But the official says under international law, countries can only establish diplomatic posts when the host country consents. The official says the U.S. has withdrawn consent for Russia’s San Francisco post.

The State Department circulated a statement from the official to reporters on condition of anonymity.

The defense comes after President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s Foreign Ministry would sue the U.S. over the move. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed the issue with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a phone call Tuesday.

JOSH LEDERMAN