Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the United States and the European Union that their latest punitive sanctions could affect West’s energy ties with Russia.
Following his meeting with Belarus and Kazakhstan’s leaders on Tuesday, Putin told reporters, “We would very much wish not to resort to any measures in response. I hope we won’t get to that point.”
“But if something like that continues, we will of course have to think about who is working in the key sectors of the Russian economy, including the energy sector, and how,” he said.
Putin made the comments after the US, the EU, and Japan recently blacklisted more Russian individuals, companies, and pro-Russian Ukrainian citizens.
Also on Tuesday, Russia’s energy giant Gazprom warned that a fresh round of Western sanctions on Russia could leave Europe without its gas supplies.
Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State John Kerry described the events in Ukraine as a “wake-up call” for the US and its NATO allies, and that Russia should be aware that NATO would fiercely defend every centimeter of its territory.
The US accuses Russia of violating Ukraine’s sovereignty by stirring up pro-Russia protests in eastern Ukraine.
Russia denies the allegation, saying the protests have begun spontaneously against what it calls the illegitimate interim government in Kiev.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said on Tuesday that the crisis in the eastern European country is the result of the West’s weak policies.
SRK/AS/MHB
Source Article from http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/04/29/360638/russia-may-review-energy-ties-with-west/
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