Russia says U.S. actions contradict Biden's stated desire to normalise relations

Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday that new U.S. sanctions contradicted U.S. President Joe Biden's stated desire to normlalise relations with Moscow, something he told Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin earlier this week.

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday authorised his government to sanction any sector of the Russian economy, including moves that may restrict Russia's ability to issue sovereign debt, to punish Moscow for interfering in the 2020 U.S. election - allegations Russia denies.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the United States' hostile steps had dangerously raised the temperature of a confrontation between Moscow and Washington and that it would have to pay for damaging bilateral ties.