MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russia will take a decision on the response to a new round of US sanctions based on its own interests, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
“No, we have to understand what form these new measures, new restrictions will really take, and what actions in the interests of the Russian Federation they will require. I would like to reiterate that the president has repeatedly stated that he will do what will be best consistent with the interests of our country against the backdrop of such unfriendly steps,” Peskov said, when asked whether a decision had been made on the retaliatory measures against the new US sanctions.
Washington is using a far-fetched pretext of the so-called Skripal affair for introducing new sanctions against Russia, but Moscow will not abandon the protection of its own national interests despite the new restrictions, Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Monday.
“[The United States] uses a far-fetched link to the so-called Skripal affair, the investigation of which in the United Kingdom is far from being completed, we are accused of involvement in the Salisbury tragedy, Russia’’ elimination of its arsenal of chemical weapons is questioned … All the accusations voiced are ephemeral, while the restrictions enforced today are quite real, although they repeat the already existing ones in many aspects,” Zakharova said in a statement.
The ministry’s spokeswoman stressed that the new US sanctions could not “force Russia to abandon the chosen path to firmly defend its national interests.”
“We view Washington’s decision only as part of a deliberate policy to erode the international structure in the sphere of arms control and non-proliferation, including in the area of banning chemical weapons,” the statement read.
Zakharova noted that the sanctions imposed by Washington further complicated possible dialogue with Russia in the existing multilateral and bilateral formats.
Earlier in the day, the new US sanctions against Russia over its alleged role in the poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia came into forces. The restrictive measures terminated US arms sales to Russia as well as the financing of arms sales, and prohibited exports of national security-sensitive goods and technology.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
