ceasefire was signed on August 12 - but it looms over Georgia to this day.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has also commented on the sanctions, saying Saturday that he hoped the legislation would spur Russia to seek a better relationship with Washington.

"The near unanimous votes for the sanctions legislation in Congress represent the strong will of the American people to see Russia take steps to improve relations with the United States," Tillerson said in a statement. "We hope that there will be cooperation between our two countries on major global issues and these sanctions will no longer be necessary."

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Russian response

In response to the so-far unsigned sanctions, the RussianForeign Ministry demanded Friday that the United States cut its diplomatic staff in Russia and promised to seize two American properties. The plan, which would impact the US Embassy in Moscow and consulates in St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok, would reduce diplomatic and technical staff to 455 people, the same number Russia has in the United States.

Trump has yet to weigh in on Russia's response.

"Right now we're reviewing our options and when we have something to say on it, we'll let you know," Sanders said Monday.

The delay in signing the Russian sanctions, and silence from Trump, are the latest in a long list of more muted responses to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, who the United States intelligence community said meddled in the 2016 election that saw Trump