WASHINGTON, July 18 (RIA Novosti) - Washington's anti-Russia sanctions will not have a significant impact on US-Russia business relations unless Moscow decides to implement countermeasures, Tom Thomson of the T.Thomson & Associates told RIA Novosti Friday.
"The sanctions are obviously very important to that they limit access to [US] financing to the companies being named," Thomson said, highlighting that "the impact that they [sanctions] will have on the American business community and the relationship between Russia and the US [will be] determined by how Russia responds."
"If the Russian government decides to implement some countermeasures ... that will obviously increase the tensions between the two countries and create tension in the business relations [between Russia and the United States]," Thomson said.
But for now, "the door is still open to continue to do business together and continue to move forward with projects together, much like Rosneft with Exxon mobile are doing," Thomson added.
On Wednesday, the US Treasury introduced a so-called Sectoral Sanctions Identification List that affects companies and institutions in defense, energy and banking sectors of the Russian economy over their involvement in the Ukrainian crisis.
