Sanctions Against Russia Sharp Sword for Foreign Business – Russian PM

MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti) – Sanctions against Russia is a double-edged sword that will hit foreign business, Western politicians impose them for self-affirmation, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told in an interview to Bloomberg channel late Monday.

Medvedev said that such sanctions were like a sharp sword for European business, and US business didn’t need these sanctions regime as well. He asserted that politicians need sanctions in order to demonstrate their power and strength.

As an example of such policy Medvedev named the US administration, accusing President Barack Obama of a lack of “political tact”.

“For example, our American colleagues, President Obama need to demonstrate Congress that America is not afraid of Russians, that if something happens, they will twist us. They need to show that president is making tough decisions, that he does everything that Senate tells him to. This is Americans’ position,” Medvedev noted.

Prime Minister added that Russia has counterplan against Western sanctions, but is not rushing to introduce it.

“We haven’t especially commented on” sanctions “or responded to them harshly, although we could do something unpleasant or offensive to those countries that are introducing these sanctions,” Medvedev said.

Following Crimea’s reunification with Russia in mid-March, the US and EU imposed targeted sanctions against high-ranking Russian officials, freezing their assets and banning them from obtaining visas. Seventeen Russian companies are also on the blacklists, which have been repeatedly expanded.

Russia has also been continuously threatened with broader sanctions that could hit key sectors of the country’s economy in the event of further escalation of the Ukrainian crisis.

Moscow has condemned the measures, calling the policy of sanctions “inappropriate and counterproductive” and warned its Western partners about the “boomerang effect” that sanctions would have.

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