Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev labelled new US sanctions “economic war”, as businesses in Moscow pledged Thursday to shrug off the impact of the measures approved reluctantly by Donald Trump. The US president signed off on the new sanctions Wednesday, bowing to domestic pressure after the White House failed to scupper the bill or water it down. Expecting the move, Moscow already responded to the measures last week after they were passed by the Senate,

ordering the US to slash staff at its diplomatic mission in Russia by 755 personnel. The Kremlin said Trump’s formal approval did not “change anything” and no further retaliation was planned. But Prime Minister Medvedev fumed Wednesday evening on Facebook that the move “ends hopes for improving our relations with the new US administration.” “It is a declaration of a full-fledged economic war on Russia,” Medvedev wrote. READ MORE