Still no mention from trump: Putin announces cut of 755 U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia
Not a Peep.
Putin announces cut of 755 U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia, stepping up confrontation over sanctions
Touching off the Kremlins most serious diplomatic confrontation with Washington since President Trump took office six months ago, President Vladimir Putin announced Sunday that the United States would have to cut its embassy and consulate staff by 755 by far the biggest such forced reduction in years in response to a package of sanctions awaiting Trumps signature.
I decided its time for us to show we do not intend to leave U.S. actions unanswered, the Russian leader said in remarks aired in a prime-time evening interview on Vesti, a program on Russias Channel One.
The announcement marks a dizzying new turn in the relationship between Putin and President Trump, whose interactions for months had appeared to be both courtship ritual and testing ground.
The cuts to American and local diplomatic positions, to take effect Sept. 1, would reduce the number of U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia to 455, the same number that Russia has in the United States.
http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-russia-us-20170730-story.html