MOSCOW — Russia is losing patience and is prepared to expel American diplomats if the United States does not reverse its decision to expel 35 Russian diplomats and block access to Russian diplomatic estates, the country’s Foreign Ministry said Friday.
Speaking at a news briefing, the ministry’s spokeswoman, Maria V. Zakharova, said that after President Trump’s meeting with President Vladimir V. Putin last week, Russia expected the United States “to take a more constructive approach” to resolving the dispute.
“The time is ticking,” Ms. Zakharova said. “We know how to respond.”
In December, President Barack Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russians suspected of being spies after American intelligence agencies concluded that Russia had tried to meddle in the 2016 presidential election.
In addition, the Obama administration announced that it would shut two Russian waterfront compounds outside Washington and New York, describing them as spy nests.
