US sanctions another hostile step: Russia

Moscow, Sept 13:

considers Washington's new anti-Russian sanctions as another hostile step, the Russian foreign ministry said on Friday.

"We consider Washington's new anti-Russian sanctions as a next hostile step on the US administration's confrontational course," the ministry said in a statement on Friday.

"Now that a truce has been barely reached in eastern Ukraine, a dialogue between the Kiev authorities and the leaders of Novorossia on the basis on Russian President Vladimir Putin's peace initiatives is beginning to take shape, the US has staked on the escalation of the Ukrainian conflict and exerting more sanction pressure on Russia."

Russia's countersanctions will be imposed soon but Moscow leaves the door for dialogue on Ukraine open for the US, the ministry said. "Of course, our countersanctions will not take long, although they, as we have repeatedly said, are a forced measure."

"We are leaving the door open for constructive and honest bilateral cooperation, including contribution to settlement of the Ukrainian crisis if the US administration is ready for that," the statement said.

'We are leaving the door open for constructive and honest bilateral cooperation'

"Washington should admit: only respect for each other's interests may help find a solution to the intra-Ukrainian conflict that suits everyone," it said.

Washington's policy of anti-Russian sanctions harms its own interests, the Russian foreign ministry said.

"Those in Washington who are continuing to unwisely unwind the spiral of sanctions ignoring not only the interests of American businesses but also the considerations of own national security that lie in closer cooperation with Russia to maintain global stability and to counteract such present-day challenges as international terrorism and drug trafficking, are doing harm to the interests of the United States," the ministry said.

"The White House should have understood that juggling with sanctions will not make us change our principled position," the ministry stressed.

"We will never act in favour of the United States' geopolitical ambitions and plans of those politicians overseas who seek to use the "controllable Ukraine" in order to contain Russia, it said.

IANS