Russia holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month, amid a military offensive in Ukraine for which it has been ostracized by world nations. US State Department says it routinely issues visas to Russian delegates for UN events but points to restrictions on staff at the US embassy in Moscow.
This new episode of tension between Moscow and Washington comes three weeks after the arrest of an American journalist in Russia, suspected of "espionage" by the Russian authorities, which the person concerned categorically deny.