U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a joint press conference with visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri (not in the picture) at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on July 25, 2017. U.S. President Donald Trump said at the joint press conference Tuesday that he won't let Syrian President Bashar al-Assad get away with the "horrible" actions he has done. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu，file photo)
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday blamed U.S. Congress for causing U.S.-Russian relationship to be at "an all-time and very dangerous low."
"Our relationship with Russia is at an all-time & very dangerous low. You can thank Congress, the same people that can't even give us HCare (health care)!" Trump wrote on Twitter.
Trump's comments came a day after he signed into law a sanctions bill on Russia, Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), while describing the bill as "seriously flawed."
In laying out his accusation of the sanctions legislation, Trump said in a statement that the legislation "encroached on the executive branch's authority to negotiate."
"By limiting the Executive's flexibility, this bill makes it harder for the United States to strike good deals for the American people," said Trump in the statement.
Unlike previous sanctions bills, the new legislation grants U.S. lawmakers power to block Trump from unilaterally lifting sanctions on Russia.
The bill was approved overwhelmingly early this month by the U.S. Congress despite the Trump administration calling on lawmakers to grant the White House "flexibility" in dealing with Russia.
In retaliation for the new sanctions legislation, Moscow had already ordered the U.S. diplomatic mission in Russia to cut its staff by 755 people.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that Moscow was reserving the right to take further retaliatory measures in response to the sanctions bill signed by Trump.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday announced Moscow's decision to reduce the U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 people, including U.S. and Russian nationals, by Sept. 1.
In making the announcement, Putin said that Russia had run out of patience in waiting for relationship with the United States to improve.
"We waited for quite a long time that, perhaps, something will change for the better," said Putin in an interview with a Russian TV station aired on Sunday.
"But, judging by everything, if it (bilateral relationship) changes, it will not be soon," said Putin.
