US laments ‘unwanted escalation’ & reserves right to retaliate after Russia’s tit-for-tat response to sanctions — RT

 As Russia blacklisted eight current and former American officials and sent ten diplomats packing in retaliation for US sanctions, the State Department lamented the “escalatory” response and said that Washington might respond.

“Our recent actions were proportionate and appropriate to Russia's harmful activities. Today's announcement by the Russian government was escalatory and regrettable,” a State Department spokesman said in a statement on Friday evening. “It is not in our interest to get into an escalatory cycle, but we reserve the right to respond to any Russian retaliation against the United States.”