Donald Trump will sign legislation that imposes sanctions on Russia, the White House said on Friday, after Moscow ordered the United States to cut hundreds of diplomatic staff in retaliation for the measures and said it was seizing two U.S. diplomatic properties.

Moscow's decision, which had echoes of the Cold War, was announced by the Foreign Ministry on Friday, a day after the US Senate overwhelmingly approved new sanctions on Russia.

The legislation was in part a response to conclusions by US intelligence agencies that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential election, and to further punish Russia for its annexation of Crimea in 2014.