New | Russia says new US, Canada sanctions will fuel further unrest in Ukraine
Foreign Ministry statement says “Crimea is the original and inseparable part of Russia" and additional sanctions levied by Washington and Ottawa will only make the situation worse
The latest round of sanctions by the United States and Canada hamper efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Saturday.
“The sanctions are directed to disrupt the political process,” the ministry said in a statement following the announcement of the latest measures on Friday.
“We advise Washington and Ottawa to think about the consequences of such actions,” it said, adding: “we will start to develop counter measures.”
US President Barack Obama issued an executive order on Friday prohibiting trade with the Black Sea Crimean peninsula that Moscow annexed from Ukraine in March.
Additionally 24 individuals and entities were added to the US Treasury blacklist – people from Crimea and separatist leaders involved in fighting in eastern Ukraine as well as several Russians supporting the insurgency.
Canada meanwhile slapped fresh measures on Russia’s oil and gas sector and issued travel bans on several politicians in Russia and the separatist regions.