Putin Derides 'Illegal' Sanctions Bill - But Says He's Waiting On Final Version

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that he saw the USA investigations into the so-called Russian influence in the US presidential election as an effort to create anti-Russian hysteria.

Putin, at a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, also spoke about Obama's order last December to seize Russian diplomatic property in the United States and to expel 35 Russian diplomats.

It added that it was seizing a compound and warehouse used by USA diplomats. "It is very sad that russo-american relations are sacrificed" for the purposes of domestic policy.

"We haven't seen the final version yet, so we haven't got any kind of definitive view on it", Putin said, "but we can see that over a lengthy period they are trying to provoke us more and more".

President Donald Trump has planned to sign a bill approved by Congress which will impose new sanctions on Russian Federation, the White House announced.

Trump's fellow Republicans as well as Democrats have pushed for more sanctions partly as a response to USA intelligence agencies' findings of Kremlin interference in the election campaign.

The bill would make it hard for President Trump to ease the sanctions without the consent of Congress.

The measure now needs Senate approval and could be sent to Trump before Congress begins its August recess.

On Thursday, US Senate approved a bill that would impose sweeping sanctions on Russia and seeks, in particular, to target companies that invest in Russian energy projects.

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Russia also pledged to expel more diplomats if reciprocal action was taken against Russian diplomats posted in the U.S.

France and Germany have so far spoken out against the bill as it affects European industries while advancing United States commercial interests.

Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn had to resign after his conversations with former Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak came to light, some of which are thought to have been about easing sanctions. And Congress would have quickly overturned a veto - a public repudiation that would underscore the President's impotence in this situation.

Putin said he regretted the deterioration in US-Russia ties because if the two nations acted together they would be "much more able to solve the acute problems which exist around the world and in Russia and the United States", such as combating terrorism, tackling environmental issues, fighting illegal migration and organized crime, and helping promote economic growth. The Kremlin has slammed the new USA bill as disappointing in terms of global law and trade relations. The bill now has to be either signed or vetoed by US President Donald Trump.

"I think it'd be very unwise -- it would be overridden immediately", Oklahoma Republican Rep. Tom Cole said.

"The President and the administration support sanctions against Russia, Iran, and North Korea".

It accused the United States of using the law to "create unfair competitive advantages for the USA in the global economy" and said its actions breached worldwide law.

In turn, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stated that the EU was ready to "act appropriately" to USA sanctions against Russian Federation in case they are targeting EU interests.