Europe says “no” to anti-Russian sanctions

The US anti-Russian sanctions not only play a counterproductive role in Russian-American relations but also harm third countries that are developing a mutually beneficial partnership with Russia. The Kremlin announced it today. Both chambers of the US Congress have agreed on the text of the "second package" of sanctions against Russia and Iran. The House of Representatives and the Senate are going to vote on it in the coming weeks.

Washington does not let go of sanction hysteria. The call for repelling the Russian threat is sounding louder and louder from each side. So the package of anti-Russian sanctions is being eagerly pushed. Practically, it was approved unanimously by both chambers of the American Congress. Not today, so tomorrow, it will be passed to the House of Representatives for approval and to the Senate. And then the president should sign it. In this case, Donald Trump can use the right of veto. However, experts strongly doubt this, taking into account the pressure of the American elites.

"Trump is under pressure of political and financial elites, and I think it will continue for a long time," political analyst Alexander Asafov said, "Trump shows inside the country that he is a politician of unpredictable decisions, an eccentric politician, and I think he will balance between his own interests, which he declared during the election campaign, and pleasing the financial and political elites. "

Both sides follow their own interests. The time after the meeting with the Russian president in Hamburg quickly passed. Now the cornerstone is gas domination in the world. American blue fuel will be sold much better if you push the main competitor, Russia, out of the European market.

"First, sanctions are being imposed against the new gas pipeline.  I think that  Americans will try to impose new sanctions in the future that will limit the export of Russian gas to Europe, and this situation raises a question for Europeans: do they want their gas to rise in price? The US is doing everything to create a deficit in the European market and push Russian gas out from there.In order to raise prices, and it will be profitable for them to supply American LNG, "Igor Yushkov, a leading expert of the National Energy Security Fund, commented on the situation.

The European Commission expressed concern about the possibility of introducing new US sanctions against Russia. This was stated by the press secretary of the EC MargaritisSchinas. European reaction is limited by this statement.

"Despite the fact that Europe has become a vassal of America, European business is first and foremost, European politicians should raise their voice," Vladimir Gutenev said, a first deputy chairman of the State Duma committee on the industry. " America is trying to sell to Europe not the primacy of international law, not the WTO principles, but the selfish interest of American businesses, packed in the political package. "
However, the administration of Donald Trump does not hide that the documents, which are aimed at tightening anti-Russian sanctions, are piled not because of the situation in Ukraine and the reunification with the Crimea, but banal economic interests. One article of the energy bill is particularly interesting.

"We need to prioritize the export of US energy resources in order to create American jobs, help allies and partners and strengthen US foreign policy," the US draft bill on tightening anti-Russian sanctions says.

Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the Russian president, said today that Moscow had always been extremely negative about the United States' sanctions rhetoric: "The US anti-Russian sanctions not only play a counterproductive role in Russian-American relations but also harm third countries that are developing a partnership with Russia ".

The US president's signature under the bill may lead to a new round of diplomatic scandal. On the one hand, there will be discontent of Europeans, whose economic interests are brazenly infringed. On the other hand, Russia as a member of the WTO can demand the resolution of the situation in court.