View of the Kremlin in MoscowMOSCOW, Jan 18Russia is more prepared for the consequences of possible financial sanctions from the EU and the United States than European countries due to their dependence on Russian energy supplies, writes the Financial Times newspaper. efforts to reduce its dependence on the global financial system. In particular, Russia has increased foreign exchange reserves, relies less on foreign investors. The Russian Treasury spent years testing worst-case scenarios in the event of sanctions and created a special unit that is working to counter possible measures from the US Treasury, which suggests that the Russian economy can withstand new sanctions, analysts say.
The United States answered the question about new sanctions against Nord Stream 2 «At the same time, the EU has not abandoned Russian gas, which makes any restrictions on the export of Russian energy carriers potentially self-destructive and leaves an opportunity for Moscow to take retaliatory measures in the form of supply restrictions,» analysts say the publication. The publication notes that the EU imports 40% of its gas and a quarter of its oil from Russia. In addition, the West is heavily dependent on the supply of titanium from Russia, which is used in particular for Boeing aircraft.Pivot to the North: Russia refused to choose between East and West» This interdependence could make it difficult for the West to impose broader sanctions on the Russian financial sector. Banning transactions with large Russian banks or cutting Moscow off the SWIFT system can only be effective for the US and EU in if they do not buy its export goods,» the newspaper concludes. Earlier, US senators submitted a bill on sanctions against Russia in the event of an escalation of the situation around Ukraine. In particular, he prescribes in this case to impose sanctions against three or more Russian financial organizations from the list, which includes 12 names: Sberbank, VTB, Gazprombank, VEB, Rosselkhozbank, RDIF, Credit Bank of Moscow, Alfa-Bank, FC Otkritie , Promsvyazbank, Sovcombank, Transcapitalbank. At the same time, the first five organizations are already under sectoral sanctions. Russia has repeatedly rejected the accusations of the West and Ukraine of «aggressive actions», stating that it does not threaten anyone and is not going to attack anyone, and statements about «Russian aggression» are used as a pretext, to deploy more NATO military equipment near Russian borders. At the same time, Kiev and Western states have recently expressed concern about the alleged increase in «aggressive actions» by Russia near the borders of Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that Russia is moving troops within its territory and at its own discretion. According to him, this does not threaten anyone and should not bother anyone.
