Moscow Says 'Short-Sighted' Sanctions To Hit Russia's Ties With West
Source: REUTERS
(Reuters) - Russia criticized new sanctions as "destructive and short-sighted" on Wednesday, saying they would aggravate Moscow's ties with the West already at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War over the Ukraine crisis.
Russia warned that sanctions, the most robust yet against Russia's state-owned banks and energy firms, could lead to higher energy prices in Europe and hit Moscow's cooperation with Washington on global issues where it wields considerable clout.
"Such decisions by Washington can do nothing but further aggravate U.S.-Russian relations and create an utterly unfavorable environment in international affairs, where cooperation between our states often plays a decisive role," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"The de-facto losses from this destructive and short-sighted policy will be quite tangible for Washington."
The sanctions, announced in coordination between Washington and Brussels, mark a new phase in the confrontation between Russia and the West, which was deepened by the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, killing all 298 people on board.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/30/us-ukraine-crisis-russia-sanctions-idUSKBN0FZ1YJ20140730
Purveyor
(29,876 posts)MOSCOW, July 30 (RIA Novosti) New European Union sanctions against Moscow show that Brussels lacks political will and desire to find a solution to the crisis in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
"With regard to anti-Russian sanctions agreed by the European Union on July 29, we have to state the evident lack of political will and desire of this union to find a solution to the Ukrainian crisis," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry reiterated that "sectorial sanctions contradict WTO rules."
"Restrictive measures in the financial sphere will have negative consequences for banks of European Union states, who are working in Russia," the ministry said.
The ministry said the EU continues turning a blind eye on the causes of the tragic development of events in southeastern Ukraine where Kievs punitive operation kills dozens of civilians every day and displaces thousands of others.
The huge region is on the brink of a massive humanitarian catastrophe, the statement said.
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http://en.ria.ru/russia/20140730/191489766/EU-Sanctions-Reveal-Lack-of-Political-Will-to-Solve-Ukraine.html
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)They help broker an end to the conflict in Ukraine and securing the area and answering questions and helping on the investigation in return for no retribution and immediate lifting of sanctions. It would kill three birds with one stone.
Adrahil
(13,340 posts)WTF? Putin annexing Crimea and supplying heavy weapons and personnel to the separatists is what's hurting relations. The Kremlin is delusional.