Official says no EU country offered new sanctions against Russia

LUXEMBURG, Oct 17 (PRIME) -- Not a single E.U. country has offered introduction of new sanctions against Russia due to the situation in Syria, E.U. foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters on Monday before a meeting of foreign ministers of E.U. member states.

The theme has been actively discussed in papers, but no country has made such a proposal during any meeting of foreign ministers yet, she said.

On October 15, German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung reported citing a source close to the country’s government that Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to suggest the E.U. toughen anti-Russian sanctions due to the situation in Syria and target the country’s aircraft and defense industry.

In 2014, relations between Russia and the West deteriorated to their worse since the Cold War due to a military conflict in Ukraine. The West introduced sanctions against some Russian individuals and firms and further against the energy and banking sectors. In response, Russia limited food imports from some countries, including the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Australia, and Norway.

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