Washington still gripped with hostility against Russia: Kremlin

Moscow: The Kremlin is not apt ‘to wearing rose-colored glasses’ amid selective statements on the potential easing of anti-Russian sanctions since Washington is still gripped with hostility against Russia, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The Russian presidential spokesman thus commented on a statement by the US Treasury Department on December 19, 2018 about its intention to lift the sanctions against Rusal and En+, companies linked to Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska.

On January 9, the leaders of seven House committees in Congress called on the Trump administration to delay lifting the sanctions against those companies.

“As for the hostile displays, there are still plenty of them in Washington, in Congress, in the Senate and in the US State Department,” Peskov specified.

“We are not inclined to wear rose-colored glasses and are aware that such unfriendly manifestations are still predominant, to our regret,” the Kremlin spokesman noted.

Responding to a question about the Russian tycoon’s assets, Peskov noted that “the Kremlin would actually prefer to be quite accurate in making any statements on the sanctions against Deripaska’s companies.”

“Very thorough work is underway and let it be continued further,” the Russian presidential spokesman said.