KREMLIN: Strengthening of sanctions to be overwhelming risk for Russia-US ties

(Sputnik) – Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated that the strengthening of anti-Russian sanctions would be an “overwhelming risk” for relations between Moscow and Washington.

“This causes our concern, indeed. I would not now use some emphatic phrases like the Cold War and so on,” Peskov told reporters, adding that “in any case, we would not want a situation when our bilateral relations, which are already in a rather severe state, are exposed to great, perhaps overwhelming risks and dangers to them.”

According to the Kremlin spokesman, Russia is not going to discuss the lifting of sanctions as it is up to those who imposed them.

“You know, the Kremlin and President Putin have never concealed their negative attitude toward the sanctions against Russia. President Putin has consistently said that we consider these sanctions illegal and that Moscow is not going to discuss the lifting of these sanctions and has not done so.”

Answering a question whether there are any concerns in the Kremlin about the possible disconnection of Russia from the SWIFT system, Peskov answered that such discussions are not based on official information.

While new US sanctions against Russia were signed by President Donald Trump back on August 2, the US administration has not yet implemented the aforementioned measures, but will have to meet the deadline that expires on January 29, 2018. The new sanctions, specifically targeting the Nord Stream-2 project, have been harshly criticized by the EU, with the German foreign minister calling the restrictions illegal and aiming to take Russia’s place on the European energy market.