White House denies being soft on Russia, says more sanctions to come

The White House is weighing additional sanctions against Russia, senior administration officials said Wednesday, pushing back against allegations that Donald Trump has been a soft touch on Moscow. Speaking on condition of anonymity, officials said a "task force" has been set up to address potential meddling in the 2018 congressional elections and work is underway to introduce sanctions in response to Moscow's 2016 campaign.
Underscoring one step, one senior administration official said that Washington has already warned governments around the world that they could face sanctions if they carry out "significant transactions" with the Russian military. That includes Nato ally Turkey, which has publicly announced the purchase of a Russian S-400 air defense missile system. A second official said that "a couple of big countries" were reconsidering their purchases as a result.
Those type of sanctions were part of a package of measures passed by Congress approved last July, that were opposed by the White House. Trump's vocal opposition to the package - which entered into law earlier this year - has raised questions about whether the administration is dragging its feet.