MOSCOW, July 30 (RIA Novosti) – EU sanctions against Russia’s energy sector will inevitably lead to a price hike on the European energy market, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday.
“Obsessed with sanctions, Brussels is itself creating barriers for further cooperation in such a key sector as energy industry,” the ministry said in statement.
“It is a senseless and irresponsible step, which will inevitably cause European energy market prices to rise,” the statement said.
The ministry stressed: “The economies of Russia and the European Union are ‘communicating vases’ and the switch to the ‘third wave’ started by Brussels is to affect the economic situation in the EU not less than in Russia.”
Moscow is also perplexed by the European Union’s decision to impose an arms embargo on Russia following the removal of similar restrictions on Ukraine, the ministry said.
“We are perplexed by the decision to impose an embargo on weapons and military equipment trade with Russia. Unlike Kiev, which recently saw the removal of similar restrictions, Russia does not take part in the military conflict in Ukraine,” the ministry said.
Moscow is disappointed by failure of European leaders to play an independent role in the international affairs. “It’s a shame that after having long searched for its own ‘single voice,’ the EU now speaks Washington’s voice.”
The ministry marked that the European Union current policy is not based on verified facts but is defined by Washington that is “watching doubtful YouTube videos.”
“Of course, we will take into consideration the current non-constructive and non-independent behavior of the EU when building our relations,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The EU Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) agreed Tuesday on a new package of sanctions targeting Russia’s financial, energy and defense sectors, followed swiftly by a new round of US penalties against Moscow.
However, the EU could reverse its decision if Russia “starts contributing actively and without ambiguities to finding a solution to the Ukrainian crisis,” the communique said.
