Russia is preparing a tit-for-tat response to the new set of sanctions imposed on it by the United States over Moscow's alleged involvement in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

"The sanctions are traditionally answered by some kind of mirrored methods," Zakharova said at a news briefing.

"This issue is in the drafting stage. Lamentably, we will have to react to this," she added.

The United States on Tuesday imposed additional sanctions on Russia, blacklisting 38 Ukraine-related individuals and entities and two Russian government officials, the U.S. Treasury Department said.

As a result, any property or interest of the designated persons in the United States will be blocked and transactions by Americans involving these persons are generally prohibited, it said.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday that his meeting with U.S. Undersecretary of State Thomas Shannon will not happen due to the new sanctions imposed by Washington.

It was previously scheduled that Ryabkov and Shannon would discuss bilateral relations in Russia's second largest city St. Petersburg on Friday.

Zakharova said that the cancellation of the meeting was not the final response to the U.S. move.

"I cannot say that the cancellation of the consultations was a counter-move.... These are completely different things," she said.

The United States and its allies have imposed several sets of sanctions on Russia since 2014 over the annexation of Crimea and Moscow's alleged involvement in south Ukraine.

Russia has responded with counter-measures, including denying entry to many officials and banning imports of certain commodities, mainly foodstuffs.