Russia vows strong response to fresh US sanctions
15 Dec 2014
Russia will respond to fresh sanctions from the United States, deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Saturday after US lawmakers passed a bill to impose new penalties on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis.
"Undoubtedly, we will not be able to leave this without a response," Ryabkov told Interfax news agency.
Ryabkov blamed "anti-Russian moods" in the United States for the passing of a bill on Friday allowing Washington to provide lethal military assistance to Ukraine and threatening fresh sanctions against Russia.
"We are of course concerned at the way the mood is running on Capitol Hill," Ryabkov said.
"We see the passing by both houses the above legislative act as yet another demonstration of anti-Russian moods and attempts to dictate decisions to us that for us are categorically unacceptable."
He said that he expected foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the matter with US secretary of state John Kerry when they meet in Rome on Monday.
