Russian official: EU prolongs sanctions under pressure of US

MOSCOW, Dec 21 (PRIME) -- The E.U. is still under pressure from the U.S., which wants the union to prolong Russian sanctions against its own interests, Sergei Naryshkin, a speaker of the State Duma, the parliament’s lower chamber, said.

“Washington’s pressure on Europe, the European Union, is obviously going on. The pressure is strong in this respect,” he said, adding that anti-Russian sanctions are harmful for the E.U., including for its sovereignty.

The union is likely to make a final decision to prolong Russian sanctions until July 31, 2016, later on Monday by subscription and to publish it on Tuesday.

Earlier in December a source close to the E.U. authorities told PRIME that the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the E.U. (Coreper) has approved a 6-month prolongation of anti-Russian sectorial sanctions.

Russian Economic Development Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said that the punishment rollover was an expected move and it will not influence the Russian economy.

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.

In mid-2015, the mutual sanctions were prolonged for one year.

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