UPDATE: Source: Russia can retaliate against possible new US sanctions

MOSCOW, Jul 27 (PRIME) -- Russia can retaliate against possible new U.S. sanctions, a high-ranking government official told reporters on condition of anonymity on Thursday.

“They can,” the source said, asking whether the Russian authorities can retaliate.

The U.S. Congress voted for a bill including new sanctions against Russia and several other states by an overwhelming majority on Tuesday. The bill will come into force if signed by the president.

The Association of European Businesses (AEB) said it is worried about the possible expansion of the. sanctions because they will affect the interests of European companies and states in several industries.

“We are especially concerned with the fact that the U.S. sanctions touch especially the interests of European companies and European countries in energy and other sectors related to Russia,” the association said.

The bill prohibits companies to invest more than U.S. $1 million in a single payment or more than $5 million during the course of a year in construction of Russian export pipelines, as well as provision of goods, services, technologies and information support for the construction. The U.S. will continue standing against the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline.

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