MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s foreign minister has deplored the new U.S. sanctions against Moscow as groundless.

Sergey Lavrov said the new restrictions “don’t help to improve the climate.” Speaking in Moscow Tuesday following talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, Lavrov said he could “only voice regret about the Russo-phobic obsession of our American colleagues … that has gone beyond any limits.”

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it has imposed sanctions on 38 Russian individuals and firms over Russian activities in Ukraine. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the penalties are designed to “maintain pressure on Russia to work toward a diplomatic solution.”

Russia-U.S. relations have remained tense even as the White House considers scheduling President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of next month’s G20 meeting.