Russia's president says he will consider Trump's actions next month before
deciding on next move.
Russia will not expel anyone in response to US sanctions against the country and the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the US, the Kremlin is quoting President Vladimir Putin as saying in the statement.
Sergey Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, had earlier said he had proposed to Putin that Russia expel 35 US diplomats and ban US diplomatic staff from using two facilities in Moscow in retaliation for expulsions and sanctions imposed by the US.
However, Putin said he saw the US step to expel diplomats as a move to undermine relations between the two countries, according to RIA, the Russian state news agency.
"We will not create problems for American diplomats. We will not expel anyone," Putin said in a statement which added that he would consider the actions of President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office next month, when deciding on further steps in Russia-US relations.
US President Barack Obama had all but accused Putin of personally ordering a cyber-hack that many Democrats believe damaged Hillary Clinton's chances in November's closely fought election with Republican foe Trump.
Putin added that Moscow reserved the right to retaliate after Washington's decision to expel 35 Russian diplomats and closed two Russian compounds in a response that Obama said was "necessary and appropriate" against "efforts to harm US interests".
"According to international practice, Russia has all the grounds for a comparable response," Putin said.
"Reserving the right to retaliatory measures, we ... will be planning our next steps in restoring US-Russian relations based on the policies pursued by the administration of President Donald Trump.
"Russian diplomats returning to the motherland will spend their holidays with friends and family, at home," Putin said, extending an invitation to "all children of US diplomats accredited in Russia ... to the New Year's and Christmas party in the Kremlin."
diplomats in Cold War deja vu. As everybody, incl 
people, will be glad to see the last of this hapless Adm.
With the announcement, Putin has played the role of "a good cop", says Sergey Strokan, a political analyst and columnist for Russia's Kommersant newspaper.
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Moscow, he said: "It might seem as a contradiction but I think that it is a sort of a role play.
"Political parties here believe that we should not give an excuse to those forces inside the American establishment who will try to tell President Trump that he has to follow the same agenda in relation to Russia.
"Putin does not want to deprive Trump of the field of manoeuvre and he leaves the option open for him.
"He has to either backtrack on Obama's policy but if he is hesitant, there is no doubt Russia will retaliate in a very strong way and then we will see an equal number of US diplomats expelled."
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