The US sanctions imposed on Russia have not given the desired result – Washington has to follow the path of economic isolation of Moscow, said Republican Senator from the state of South Carolina Lindsey Graham, who is part of the committee of the upper house of Congress on Armed Services.

The senator was asked to comment on the decision to expel Russian diplomats from the US and whether it would be better to hold a meeting of the US and Russian presidents to discuss the situation.

In his reply, Graham said that Russia is “out of control” and all that the US authorities are doing against the Russian side is no longer working. He believes that US President Donald Trump is experiencing difficulties in responding directly to the Russian leadership.

The senator also urged the White House to attempt economic isolation of the Russian Federation, first of all, to deprive Moscow of energy buyers [think Nord Stream 2.]

He cited the example of former US President Ronald Reagan’s policy toward the USSR in the 1980s. Graham recalled that every time the USSR tried to develop its military technology, Reagan would outstrip the enemy a step further.

On March 26, the US announced 60 Russian diplomats as persons non grata and decided to close the Consulate General in Seattle, in relation to the case of the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, for which no evidence has ever been presented.