Putin’s own foreign ministry had recommended that he eject 35 American officials to counterbalance US President Barack Obama’s move on Thursday to expel 35 Russian intelligence operatives and shut down two Russian compounds in the US.
Trump, who succeeds Obama on January 20, has repeatedly praised Putin and made a number of cabinet picks of people with ties to Russia.
The FBI and CIA have concluded that Russian intelligence agencies oversaw the hacking and leaking of emails from Democratic Party organizations under Kremlin orders this year in order to benefit Trump’s campaign against Hillary Clinton.
