- I cannot but comment on the news about the decision of the US Treasury Department to introduce unilateral restrictive measures against the Russian oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil under the pretext, and this is a direct quote, of"insufficient commitment of the Russian side to a peaceful solution in Ukraine". We consider this move to be completely counterproductive, including in terms of signaling support for achieving meaningful negotiated solutions to the Ukrainian conflict - said Zakharova, RIA Novosti reports.
She also said that attempts to force Russia to sacrifice national interests would be counterproductive.
- If the current US administration begins to follow the example of its predecessors, who tried to force or force Russia to sacrifice its national interests through illegal sanctions, the result will be exactly the same - disastrous from an internal political point of view and negative for the stability of the world economy - Zakharova added.
She emphasized that "no special problems will arise" for Russia in connection with the aforementioned decision of the US Treasury Department.
- Our country has developed strong immunity to Western restrictions and will continue to confidently develop its economic and energy potential - said Zakharova.
"Sanctions introduced against Russia primarily act against the EU"
Speaking about the 19th package of EU sanctions, Zakharova said that they effectively work against Brussels itself, and that the potential for their expansion has been exhausted, reports TASS.
- The sanctions introduced against Russia primarily act against the EU. The possibilities of Brussels to extend the sanctions against our country are mostly exhausted. They have already exhausted practically every option for implementing their concept of inflicting, as they designed, a strategic defeat on Russia, damaging the Russian economy and its defense capacity - Zakharova concluded.
Medvedev: The decisions are an act of war against Russia
The Deputy President of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev said that the new American sanctions against Russia are"an act of war" and that the United States of America has officially become an adversary of Moscow.
A day earlier, USA announced a package of new anti-Russian sanctions directed against"Rosneft","Lukoil" and their subsidiaries, RIA Novosti reported.
US President Donald Trump also announced the cancellation of a planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, while announcing that the meeting may take place in the future.
"This does not change the main point: the decisions taken are an act of war against Russia," Medvedev wrote on his Telegram channel.
He added that"if anyone had any illusions, now they see clearly - the USA is our adversary, and their chatty 'peacekeeper' is now completely on the warpath against Russia".
