Donald Trump has warned that relations between the US and Russia have reached an all-time and very dangerous low."
The US President's comment comes a day after he signed a bill imposing fresh sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea.
President Trump was opposed to the bill - however the US Congress voted in favour of it by such a large majority that he was left with little choice but to sign it into law.
In a tweet this afternoon, he laid the blame for worsening relations between the Kremlin and the White House squarely at Congress' door.
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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 3, 2017
After signing the bill yesterday the president described it as "seriously flawed" and took another pop at Congress as he did so.
"Congress could not even negotiate a health care bill after seven years of talking," he said. "As President, I can make far better deals with foreign countries than Congress."
He added however that, "despite its problems, I am signing this bill for the sake of national unity."
Russian reaction
Russia reacted angrily to the sanctions this morning, with the country's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev writing that the bill amounted to a "full-scale trade war" and would bring "consequences."
"First, it ends hopes for improving our relations with the new US administration," he said.
"Second, it is a declaration of a full-fledged economic war on Russia.
"Third, the Trump administration has shown its total weakness by handing over executive power to Congress in the most humiliating way.
"This changes the power balance in US political circles."
He went on to predict that the next step from the US establishment will be an attempt to remove the president from office.
Russian links
Russia has been a long-running issue for the Trump administration.
US intelligence agencies have said that Vladimir Putin's government meddled in last year's US presidential election campaign, and a special counsel and US congressional panels are investigating.
Mr Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has insisted he made no deals with Russia as part of the US presidential campaign.
Moscow has denied any meddling and Mr Trump denies any collusion by his campaign.
Meanwhile, the transcripts of two telephone calls between President Trump and his counterparts in Mexico and Australia have been released by The Washington Post.
