Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak told BuzzFeed News that Russia is talking with the Trump administration "each and every day" about restoring two compounds seized by the U.S. under former President Barack Obama. "We insist that [the property] needs to be returned," Kislyak said. "It's a violation of the Vienna Convention. It belongs to Russia. … It was seized unlawfully."
The properties, in New York and Maryland, were seized in December when Obama expelled 35 Russian "intelligence operatives" following early reports that the Kremlin had tried to influence the U.S. presidential election. The property is used for "recreation for embassy and U.N. diplomats," BuzzFeed News writes. "But for decades, U.S. officials have suspected that it's also been used for espionage based on information from aerial surveillance."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Russia, though, has threatened to give American diplomatic properties the same treatment if immunity is not restored.
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raidSpeed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearingSpeed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own listspeed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battleSpeed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
