Russian response to sanctions 'inevitable'

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that a Russian response to new US sanctions was “inevitable” and that the ministry had summoned US ambassador to Moscow John Sullivan.

The United States earlier on Thursday announced a broad array of sanctions against Russia and the expulsion of 10 diplomats in retaliation for alleged election interference, a massive cyber attack and other hostile activity.

“The United States is not ready to come to terms with the objective reality that there is a multipolar world that excludes American hegemony,” Zakharova said.

“We have repeatedly warned the United States about the consequences of its hostile steps, which dangerously increase the degree of confrontation between our countries.”

“A response to sanctions is inevitable,” she added.

Zakharova also said that Russia’s foreign ministry had summoned US ambassador Sullivan for a conversation that she said “will be difficult for the American side.”

Among the actions, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order authorizing the US government to sanction any sector of the Russian economy and use it to restrict Russia’s ability to issue sovereign debt.

Biden barred US financial institutions from taking part in the primary market for rouble-denominated Russian sovereign bonds from June 14. US banks have already been barred from taking part in the primary market for non-rouble sovereign bonds since 2019.